As Jamaica intensifies its world thrust to spice up vacationer arrivals and earnings by diversifying its supply markets, Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, has underscored that the increasing faith-based tourism market supplies main development alternative for the island.
Latest estimates point out that globally, faith-based tourism is valued at some US$254.3 billion and is projected to develop at a fee of 15%, as much as the 12 months 2030. Quoting these figures, Minister Bartlett mentioned by ramping up efforts to focus on this area of interest: “It definitely tells you that we now have a rising market section that we might faucet into to make an excellent stronger contribution to the Jamaican financial system.”
He pitched his remarks to Jamaican and UK Church Leaders of the New Testomony Church of God, who’re attending a joint summit celebrating the centennial of its institution in Jamaica, on the Cardiff Corridor Lodge and Spa, in St. Ann yesterday (Might 14). Minister Bartlett famous that the denomination had branched out from Jamaica to overseas lands, together with the UK, North America and the Caribbean, and instructed that “Church and tourism are symbiotic.”
Underscoring the significance of the business, Minister Bartlett advised the Church Leaders that “on the final rely, tourism is 9.5% of gross home product (GDP) in Jamaica; we make use of 175,000 individuals immediately and 350,000 not directly and induced. We characterize 53% of the overseas change generated within the nation and one in 5 of all of the individuals employed in Jamaica are linked to the tourism business.”
He posited that strengthening tourism meant strengthening the nation’s financial system and “enabling the individuals of Jamaica to have a greater way of life and a great high quality of life.”
Giving an historic perspective, Minister Bartlett contended that “the federal government has, within the final eight years, constructed the tourism business phenomenally. We’ve doubled the arrivals within the nation from a bit underneath two million to 4.3 million guests at this time.” He mentioned earnings have additionally been doubled, from just below US$2 billion in 2007 and rising by over US$1.5 billion between 2016 to now.
Minister Bartlett advised the gathering that:
“The ability of the Church to drive tourism can also be embodied within the safety the church presents to individuals who come into our area.”
He added that vacation spot assurance was crucial to Jamaica, with a sign to guests coming into the nation, that they may have a secure, safe and seamless expertise.
“The custodian of the conscience of the individuals characterize that factor of surety that underpins the boldness that individuals have within the vacation spot to know which you could anticipate a sure behaviour sample as a result of it’s based on sure guidelines from the Good E-book,” he indicated.
A delegation of 23 leaders from the New Testomony Church of God denomination throughout the UK, led by Administrative Bishop Claion Grandison, has joined native leaders led by Bishop Roy Discover, for the week-long summit, from Might 12-19, 2025, celebrating 100 years of the church’s ministry.
