The Secretary General of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), Zurab Pololikashvili, will be among the distinguished participants at the Global Tourism Resilience Conference and Expo, set to take place in Hanover, Jamaica, from February 17-19, 2025.
The event will focus on the importance of sustainable and adaptive tourism strategies amid evolving global challenges.
UN Tourism, a specialized agency of the United Nations, promotes responsible, sustainable, and universally accessible tourism.
Jamaica’s Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, welcomed the high-profile participation, stating, “The participation of the UN Tourism Secretary General at our Global Tourism Resilience Conference represents another pivotal moment for Caribbean tourism. This high-level engagement underscores Jamaica’s strategic importance as a global hub for innovative tourism development and our commitment to building sustainable, adaptive travel ecosystems.”
The conference will bring together international tourism leaders, policymakers, and industry experts to explore innovative solutions for building resilient tourism ecosystems, particularly in response to climate change, economic uncertainty, and emerging global disruptions.
Key topics on the agenda include:
- The role of digital tools in enhancing tourism resilience
- Strategies for crisis management and financial resilience
- Sustainable development in the Blue Economy
- Collaboration between tourism stakeholders and digital technology firms
- Policy recommendations for strengthening global tourism resilience
Pololikashvili’s participation highlights UNWTO’s ongoing commitment to supporting tourism industries through strategic planning and collaborative solutions.
Professor Lloyd Waller, Executive Director of the Global Tourism Resilience and Crisis Management Centre, emphasized Jamaica’s leadership in the field: “Jamaica continues to be a thought leader in the resilience space. As we build on our advocacy in this area, we hope to increase capacity building for countries globally.”
The Global Tourism Resilience Conference and Expo will provide a crucial platform for industry stakeholders to exchange insights and shape the future of international tourism.
