Jamaica tourism minister Edmund Bartlett has been touting the continued success of the destination to potential tourism partners in Palma de Mallorca, Spain.

He was particularly keen to stress the national tourism product would not be disrupted by the decision by Bruce Golding to step down as prime minister.

Golding is expected to step down in November with the incumbent Labour Party explaining last month the challenges of four years in power had taken their toll on his health.

Officials within the parliamentary arm of the party endorsed education minister Andrew Holness next prime minister.

“Jamaica is a bulwark of democracy and political stability, and the decision not to seek re-election by the prime minister is a normal function of the democratic process and is not a sign of trouble for the country or its established and robust tourism product,” Bartlett explained.

He added he expected the transition to a new prime minister to be “seamless”.

The Jamaican tourism industry has been performing well in 2011, with a total of US$1,480 billion taken in receipts so far this year.

Bartlett also confirmed a further 2,000 hotel rooms would be built on the south coast of the Caribbean island.

He explained: “These new rooms will help to boost the amount of quality rooms locally.
“Jamaica is short of some 2,000 rooms for the upcoming Winter Tourist Season, and investment of this nature is precisely what is needed to bring our room complement to the required level.”

World Travel Awards
Celebrating the robust trading in Jamaican tourism World Travel Awards will arrive later this month.

The annual Caribbean & the Americas Gala Ceremony will be hosted by Sandals Royal Caribbean in Montego Bay, Jamaica on October 19th.