Caption: Hon. Edmund Bartlett (left), Minister of Tourism, and Professor Lloyd Waller, Executive Director of the Global Tourism Resilience and Crisis Management Centre (GTRCMC), during a recent press conference to discuss Jamaica’s participation at the 4^th Global Tourism Resilience Day Conference and Expo being held in Nairobi, Kenya, from February 16-18, 2026.

KINGSTON, Jamaica, February 18, 2026 – Jamaica’s Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, will launch Destination Reputational Resilience, a timely and strategic new publication that addresses one of the most urgent challenges facing global tourism — safeguarding destination reputation in an era of accelerating digital disruption.

Written by two of the world’s foremost authorities on tourism resilience – Minister Bartlett and Professor Lloyd Waller – the book delivers a structured and actionable framework to help destinations prepare for, manage and recover from emerging digital threats. From cyberattacks and misinformation to fake news, privacy breaches and digital system failures, the publication outlines practical strategies that enable tourism stakeholders to protect credibility, restore trust and leverage innovation responsibly.

“In today’s hyperconnected world, a destination’s reputation can be strengthened or severely damaged in a matter of minutes. Destination Reputational Resilience provides the strategic blueprint that ministers, policymakers and tourism leaders need to anticipate digital shocks, manage crises effectively and rebuild trust with transparency and proof. Resilience is no longer optional — it is the defining competitive advantage of modern tourism.”

Minister Bartlett emphasized that as tourism becomes increasingly digitized — through online booking platforms, digital marketing ecosystems, artificial intelligence tools and integrated data systems — destinations must adopt comprehensive resilience strategies that extend beyond physical and climate-related disruptions to include cyber and reputational risks.

The book provides guidance for destinations to prepare for digital disruptions before they occur; manage real-time digital crises strategically; protect and defend destination credibility under pressure; recover trust through evidence-based communication; and integrate Generative AI responsibly as part of crisis response and reputation management.

Minister Bartlett noted that for tourism-dependent economies such as Jamaica, reputation is among the most valuable national assets. “Tourism operates on trust. Visitors choose destinations not only for their beauty and experiences, but for confidence in safety, reliability and authenticity. Protecting that trust must now include digital vigilance,” he said.

“The publication is designed for Ministers of tourism, destination management organizations (DMOs), tourism executives, researchers and industry leaders seeking to strengthen governance frameworks in a rapidly evolving digital environment,” said Professor Lloyd Waller, Executive Director of the Global Tourism Resilience and Crisis Management Centre.

The book is timely as the Minister leads strategic discussions at the 4^th Global Tourism Resilience Day Conference and Expo being held in Nairobi, Kenya, from February 16-18, where global tourism leaders will convene.

It further reinforces Jamaica’s leadership role in advancing global conversations on tourism resilience, innovation and sustainable destination management. Minister Bartlett encouraged regional and international stakeholders to integrate the book’s framework into national tourism policies and crisis management systems.

“As we look to the future of global travel, the destinations that thrive will be those that anticipate disruption, respond with integrity and innovate responsibly. This book equips leaders to do exactly that,” Minister Bartlett concluded.

For more information about Jamaica and the GTRCMC go to www.visitjamaica.com  and www.gtrcmc.org.

###

ABOUT THE JAMAICA TOURIST BOARD  

The Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB), founded in 1955, is Jamaica’s national tourism agency based in the capital city of Kingston. JTB offices are also located in Montego Bay, Miami, Toronto and London. Representative offices are in Berlin, Barcelona, Rome, Amsterdam, Mumbai, Tokyo and Paris.

Jamaica is home to some of the world’s best accommodations, attractions and service providers that continue to receive prominent global recognition. In 2025, TripAdvisor® ranked Jamaica as the #13 Best Honeymoon Destination, #11 Best Culinary Destination, and #24 Best Cultural Destination in the World. In 2024, Jamaica was declared ‘World’s Leading Cruise Destination’ and ‘World’s Leading Family Destination’ for the fifth consecutive year by the World Travel Awards, which also named the JTB the ‘Caribbean’s Leading Tourist Board’ for the 17th consecutive year.

Jamaica earned six Travvy Awards, including a gold for ‘Best Travel Agent Academy Program’ and silver for ‘Best Culinary Destination – Caribbean’ and ‘Best Tourism Board – Caribbean’. The destination also received bronze recognition for ‘Best Destination – Caribbean’, ‘Best Wedding Destination – Caribbean’, and ‘Best Honeymoon Destination – Caribbean’. Additionally, Jamaica received a TravelAge West WAVE award for ‘International Tourism Board Providing the Best Travel Advisor Support’ for a record-setting 12th time.

For details on upcoming special events, attractions and accommodations in Jamaica go to the JTB’s Website at www.visitjamaica.com or call the Jamaica Tourist Board at 1-800-JAMAICA (1-800-526-2422). Follow the JTB on Facebook, X, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube. View the JTB blog at www.visitjamaica.com/blog/.

Contact:  

Lou Hammond Group  

jamaica@louhammond.com