PM HOLNESS CONFRONTS TRAVEL INDUSTRY TO SEIZE PROSPECTS INNATE OUT OF COVID

BY AKANKSHA DEAN 

The Global Tourism Resilience Forum held in Dubai at Expo 2020 in the DP Pavilion was an exceptional paradigm of ‘taking the bull by its horns’. Minister of Tourism for Jamaica and the Co-Chair of the Global Tourism Resilience and Crisis Management Centre (GTRCMC), Honourable Edmund Bartlett lead the affair.

 
The Most Admirable Andrew Holness, Prime Minister of Jamaica conveyed an influential and solicitous opening dialogue explaining the importance of awareness and resilience. “The recovery of the global tourism industry is a serious component of the overall pace of economic revival but particularly for the most tourism reliant regions of the world”. He continued, “the pandemic has fetched a gamble for shareholders to network more closely, to identify best practices, stratagems and modernisation that will endorse the recovery and build overall resilience for the future.”
 

Orators from the civic and private divisions pencilled on their experiences to share with the international spectators of travel and finance specialists. Minister Bartlett’s mission is to ensure the industry is distributing through action and deeds and he made that copiously clear. 
 
Four premeditated actions were publicised, the inauguration of a campaign to name February 17 as internationally accepted, Global Tourism Resilience Day. It is an enterprise that will take a year in the making but has already commenced with the provision of the United Nations and key trade associations across the globe. Thus, adding to global cognizance of the travel and tourism industry but drawing emphasis to preparedness and resilience undertakings. The second action was the declaration of the ambitious development plans of the GTRCMC. Two agreements were endorsed with Canada and Bulgaria and a third was endorsed in Jordan on the 20th of February to institute remote Centres.
 
The third deed was the revelation of a book published on resilience entitled, “Tourism Resilience and Recovery for Global Sustainability and Development” which is an alliance of PhD and graduate students with the forward by former UNWTO Secretary General, Dr. Taleb Rifai and edited by Professor Lloyd Waller, Executive Director of the GTRCMC and Minister Bartlett. And finally, not the least of which is Minister’s vision to generate a global tourism fund from where destinations or industry participants with inadequate resources can draw support in the case of disruption. An assembly of actions that are as great in scale as the accomplishments ahead. The spokespersons of the forum restated those disruptions will be ongoing so industry retorts must be idealistic and persistent to meet the challenges.
 

“Before the endemic, no one talked about resilience – sustainability was the chief subject. We have counterfeit ahead through these perilous actions of expansion, thought leadership, publication and Global Tourism Resilience Day,” concluded Minister Bartlett. But with a smile and an eye of more to come, he beamed at the audience thinking of “the formation of an international fund, global multi-national sustenance and subsidy movements, new tool expansion, technical novelties, dealings and publications. We will endeavour to affect the lives and livelihoods of millions for the better.” 

SHOPPING IN MADRID

 

All you want to know about Gran Via, the Mecca of Shopping & Entertainment in Madrid

 

·      BY AKANKSHA DEAN

 

Those on a holiday will be extremely astounded with the profusion of bargains Madrid offers! That said, as one of the style centres of the biosphere, it is no wonder that Madrid is clearly known for its outstanding shopping! The Gran Via is my favourite place !

 

GRAN VIA & AROUND - MECCA OF SHOPPING & ENTERTAINMENT

The buzzing Gran Via which runs from the Calle de Alcala to the Plaza De Espana is a Mecca for the local and tourists alike. It’s the Spanish Capital’s answer to Oxford Street, Piccadilly Circus and Broadway all rolled in to one! A great idea is to start from Puerta Del Sol Plaza which is one of the main centers of Madrid, with its streets splintering out to other famous landmarks and is full of shops and cafes. Devote time sauntering the eventful lanes and boulevards that bud from the plaza. Through this remarkable street you will also come across Madrid’s most applauded commercial center, El Corte Ingles which is profoundly armed with a diversity of clothing lines, shoes, cosmetics and even electronic gadgets. For a quirky surprise do drop by at the H & M store. After all, it’s not each day that figurines posture in the brightness of footlights and you find the fitting  rooms in the porticos of a past theatre. Also check out Zara a illustrious Galician store famed for spinning round stage designs at speedy swiftness and selling them at incredible deals. The flow of new designs is glittering, so if you like something, just go for it as it is not likely to be repetitive. Move on to Calle Mayor and follow the signs to Plaza Mayor a beautiful square completely surrounded by old Spanish architecture. In the past, it was the center of festivities, bullfights, royal coronations and executions. Now, it is still a place for festivities, and the perfect place to watch street performers and tourists over a café con leche. Altogether in all, Gran Via is  where you can purchase the finest pair of stylish coats, see the newest theater productions, take part in a gay parade, or just glee in the sweet metropolitan clamor. Gran Via exudes the crux of contemporary Madrid, serves as a favorite meeting point, and a fabulous example of a place where you’d like to spend your day and evening!

 

QUIRKY FACTS

Posh Madrid girls are known as pijas!

Rebajas means sales

Shopping in stilettos is de rigueur alias fashion.

 

FAST FACTS

Best way to move around in Madrid- Take a bus or a metro to reach these shopping areas. It costs only 1 Euro to travel to any point.

Best Place to Stay close to all the shopping areas- Situated on the impressive Paseo de La Castellana, Madrid’s key avenue is Hotel Hesperia, Paseo de la Castellana 57.

 

TOP 5 MUST DO SHOPPING 

El Corte Ingles -The most famed chain store in Spain. 

Preto & Branko- A unique store at the Plaza Mayor offering Clothes, shoes, gifts watches, jewellery etc only in black and white. 

Sfera - Sells casual and formal clothing and accessories for both men and women. The shop in Gran via is a great option.

Bershka- It is a part of the Spanish group called Inditex, and also includes Zara- It is for the young and hip generation and is all over Madrid.

 

The Jamaica Pavilion receives over 84,000 visitors in the first three months of the World Expo 2020 Dubai

The Jamaica Pavilion Receives Over 84,000 Visitors in the First Three Months of The World Expo 2020 Dubai 

The leitmotif Jamaica Makes It Move has ministered the Jamaica Pavilion to be a must visit Pavilion at Expo 2020. It is the dazzling music that welcomes you to this exquisite rotunda alongside the Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee, that is available daily by Mokha 1450 at the pavilion. It showcases sports legends like Usain Bolt, that assist the Pavilion to personify the exceptional beauty of the island nation.

 

The Jamaica Pavilion has been regarded both the ‘coolest’ and ‘must see’ Pavilions at Expo 2020 Dubai, because it has managed to exhibit the social, economic, and cultural vibrance of the Jamaican people in one frame.  The visitor numbers are backing the laurels credited to the Jamaica Pavilion.

 The average number of visitors per day stands at 930.58, which accounts for 0.945% of the total number of visitors at the Expo. The Jamaica Pavilion harboured maximum number of visitors in a single day – almost 4000 on the UAE National Day on 02 December 2021.

“Receiving almost 1% of all Expo visitors is proof that Jamaica as a travel and a business destination generates tremendous interest. While the Jamaica Pavilion showcases business opportunities for alliances and investments, for the Middle East and other markets, the uniqueness of the pavilion reflects the culture of Jamaica, which has been a crucial aspect in attracting visitors from across the globe”, stated Donovan White, Director of Tourism of Jamaica.

 

Commenting on this milestone, Mr. Ainsley Brown, part of the Pavilion Team, representing the Jamaica Special Economic Zone Authority (JSEZA), said “The fact that we are attracting almost 1% of the total visitors to the expo, Jamaica is boldly saying on the global stage – wi day ya! (We are here!).

 

A team from JSEZA forms a major part of the multi-agency Jamaican delegation to Dubai. The others that form a part are the Jamaica Tourist Board and Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport (MCGES). Jamaica, having over 84,000 visitors or close to 1% of all Expo visitors from October to December 2021, highlights the importance of the ‘Brand Jamaica’. The island through its history, cultural and artistic front, has had an extended and strong influence internationally.

 

The Jamaica Pavilion is suitably located in proximity to one of the key entrances to the Expo, located near the main metro line in and out of the Expo grounds.