UN General Assembly
2023

The pandemic taught us many lessons that we cannot afford to forget. For developing States, it exacerbated previously existing inequities and inequalities within and among countries. In terms of trade in services, global tourism and its related sectors were disproportionately impacted as the pandemic exposed the vulnerability of those industries. Massive global disruptions and unemployment were the result. Jamaica, as a leading tourism destination, recognizes the value of resilient tourism for economic. social and environmental development. Last year from this very rostrum. Prime Minister Holness issued the call for the declaration of an annual global tourism resilience day. I humbly express our sincere gratitude to all Member States for answering that call with the General Assembly’s designation, by consensus, of 17 February as Global Tourism Resilience Day. We look forward to collaborating with them on innovations to deepen the resilience of the sector.