Bartlett challenges young people to help shape the future of tourism through innovation and entrepreneurship
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Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett has challenged students and young people to move beyond simply preparing for jobs in tourism and instead become creators, entrepreneurs and owners who shape the future of the sector.
Bartlett also called for greater curiosity, creativity and innovation, urging the next generation to identify new opportunities and develop ideas that can strengthen Jamaica’s tourism product and contribute to the sector’s long-term strategic development.
He was addressing approximately 250 students at the Tourism Awareness Week AI Forum on Friday.
“The future of tourism will be shaped by the ideas, creativity and curiosity of our young people,” Bartlett said.
“I am challenging you not only to think about the jobs that tourism can provide, but to think about the businesses you can create, the experiences you can develop and the solutions you can bring to the sector,” he added.
The tourism minister said human capital development must remain at the centre of Jamaica’s tourism strategy, noting that the continued growth of the sector will depend on equipping young people with the skills, knowledge and an entrepreneurial mind set to respond to a rapidly changing global environment.
He encouraged students to see tourism as more than an employment opportunity, but as a platform for entrepreneurship, innovation and ownership.
“We want to move from workers to entrepreneurs and from entrepreneurs to owners. That is how we build wealth, create opportunities and ensure that the benefits of tourism reach more Jamaicans,” he said.
The minister also highlighted the growing importance of artificial intelligence (AI), encouraging students to embrace the technology as a tool to enhance their capacity rather than view it solely as a threat to employment.
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