Jamaica has been selected to chair the United Nations World Tourism Organisation Regional Commission for the Americas.

The Caribbean nation will lead the organisation for the biennium 2019-2021.

“Jamaica graciously accepts the position of chairman for the Regional Commission of the Americas and thanks the members for the confidence which has been demonstrated.

“This is the first time in our history that anyone in the Caribbean has been appointed Chairman of this commission,” said Jamaica minister of tourism, Edmund Bartlett.

The elections for the chairmanship of commission were held during the organisation’s 64th meeting, in Guatemala.

In his acceptance speech, the minister shared that: “Jamaica firmly believes that the tourism sector is one that should always be guided by sound policies and has over the years worked assiduously to ensure that this is achieved at both the domestic and international levels.

“Jamaica also underscores it commitment to enhancing the capacity of the Americas to plan for and manage a range of global shocks and disruptions that can be destabilising to the tourism sector.”

He then invited the participation of member countries in the “first of its kind” Global Resilience and Crisis Management Centre, which is based at the University of the West Indies in Jamaica.

The regional commissions meet once a year to allow member states to maintain ‎contact with each other and with the UNWTO secretariat between sessions of the bi-annual general ‎assembly.

While in Guatemala, minister Bartlett and his delegation will also participate in the International Seminar on Destination Management, which is taking place under the theme ‘New Challenges, New Solutions’.

The seminar will discuss current challenges and opportunities facing destination management at national and local levels, including the changing role of destination management organisations and the development of smart destinations.