Jamaica’s Minister of Tourism Edmund Bartlett has been honoured with a “Lifetime Achievement Award For Promotion of Sustainable Travel & Tourism” by the Pacific Area Travel Writers Association (PATWA) International Travel Awards.

The award was presented Bartlett at the PATWA World Tourism & Aviation Leaders’ Summit at ITB Berlin.

The PATWA International Travel Awards recognize individuals and organizations that have excelled and are involved in the promotion of tourism from different sectors of the travel trade including aviation, hotels, travel agencies, tour operators, destinations, government bodies, tourism ministries and other service providers related directly or indirectly to the industry.

“I am honoured and humbled to receive this Lifetime Achievement Award,” said Bartlett. “I am passionate about tourism, and I am equally passionate about the sustainable development of tourism. It is the only way that the industry can be leveraged as a catalyst for economic growth and the transformation of communities and nations.”

He added that: “For long-term success tourism must be economically viable, socially inclusive and environmentally friendly. This award is proof that my advocacy is getting traction and has not fallen on deaf ears.”

One of the world’s most active and visible tourism ministers, Bartlett is a powerful voice and tireless advocate for global tourism resilience and sustainability. Most recently, he was inducted into the Global Tourism Hall of Fame and received the Travel Pulse award for Global Tourism Innovation.

He is also the Founder and Co-Chair of the Global Tourism Resilience & Crisis Management Centre (GTRCMC) headquartered at the University of the West Indies, Mona, which is dedicated to conducting policy-relevant research and analysis on destination preparedness, management and recovery due to disruptions and crises that impact tourism.