TEF, UTech sign tourism agreement

The Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF) and the University of Technology (UTech) Jamaica have formalized a partnership designed to bolster the tourism industry through enhanced training and entrepreneurial support. The agreement, signed in Kingston, establishes business service intermediary support for TEF’s Tourism Innovation Incubator, a key component of the "Tourism 3.0" policy.

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We believe that Jamaica’s development hinges on people. When we look at the resources that we are blessed with, and tourism, we market them and boast about them so much, but it’s not just okay, good or above average. What we have is extraordinary on the global scale.

This policy framework represents a significant reimagining of the industry, prioritizing a "local first" mandate to ensure Jamaicans are central to its future growth. The collaboration aims to increase the number of individuals receiving training in various tourism-related fields and to empower entrepreneurs to generate greater wealth for themselves and the nation.

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We commend what institutions like UTech are doing, because they’re at the forefront of that upskilling, that transformation.

Dr. Carey Wallace, Executive Director of TEF, highlighted the agreement as a crucial step in developing Jamaica's human capital. "We believe that Jamaica’s development hinges on people," Wallace stated. He emphasized that the island's tourism resources are "extraordinary on the global scale" and that upskilling the workforce is essential for achieving "First-World status."

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You have tapped into something that has been making its mark in the country…which again speaks to how we have been contributing to building the business and the economy within the country.

UTech, recognized for its role in transforming and upskilling individuals, will provide coaching, web design, marketing research, and business development support through the partnership. Professor Shermaine Barrett, Vice President and Provost at UTech, expressed confidence in the initiative's ability to unlock potential, stating it "will bring out the greatness in people participating." She added that the university's track record ensures participants are "in good hands."

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You are in good hands, and your students who will pass through this programme are in good hands, and you can be confident about that, because we have history. And, it’s not just an empty history; it’s history that is built on contributing to the growth and development of our country.