Big opportunities for Malta-Ja partnership, says Bartlett

Tourism minister Edmund Bartlett says that Jamaica has benefited greatly from a recent meeting he had with president of Malta, Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca.

The minister, who left the island last week for the meeting, said that both countries have agreed to collaborate on a number of areas in tourism, including investments and cruise-itinerary arrangements.

He also noted that Malta's president has agreed to co-chair the Global Tourism Resilience Centre with Jamaica's Prime Minister Andrew Holness.

Bartlett said that the resilience centre is significant as it will go a far way in helping vulnerable states across the world to recover quickly from natural disasters.

"Our resilience centre will be the first global centre to trap and provide technical and resource support for vulnerable tourism groups affected by disruption. That includes hurricanes, epidemic and pandemics, tsunamis, cyber crime, tourism, and global financial crisis," he said.

"This really is a game changer for global tourism and is establishing Jamaica as a thought leader and a centre in the process for sustainability and resilience."