Jamaica’s Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, signed a memorandum of understanding with the Vice President of International Sales at the American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute (AHLEI), Ed Kastli to bolster the development of programs of the Jamaica Centre of Tourism Innovation (JCTI).

Sharing in the moment were the Executive Director of the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF), Dr. Carey Wallace; Chairman of the Tourism Product Development Company (TPDCo), Ian Dear; Director of the JCTI, Carol Rose Brown; Executive Director of TPDCo, Dr. Andrew Spencer; and Chairman of TEF, Godfrey Dyer.

The AHLEI will provide their expertise in program development to the JCTI, which is scheduled to open in January 2018.

The signing took place during the first day of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), Government of Jamaica, World Bank Group and Inter-American Development Bank Global Conference on Jobs and Inclusive Growth: Partnerships for Sustainable Tourism, taking place at the Montego Bay Convention Centre from November 27 – 29, 2017.

The JCTI was created to increase access to graduates in hospitality, tourism and culinary arts, to supervisory and management jobs in tourism. The program also includes a partnership with the American Culinary Federation (ACF) and will welcome its first students in January 2018.