Add “author” to the list of accomplishments of Edmund Bartlett. It’s a natural evolution for Jamaica’s thoughtful and eloquent tourism minister, who has written a book examining and detailing his passion and advocacy for tourism resilience in the face of disasters and challenges both natural and manmade – from hurricanes to artificial intelligence, and, of course, plagues.

Titled “Thought Leadership on Tourism, Resilience, and Sustainability in the 21st Century,” the 142-page book posits that tourism has “long been hailed as a powerful tool for economic development, cultural exchange, and environmental conservation,” adding, “the allure of pristine beaches, diverse marine life, and vibrant cultures draws millions of travellers to coastal destinations each year. Yet, the very success of the tourism industry has led to challenges that must be addressed urgently in the face of increasing environmental threats and global uncertainties.”

The book consists of a compilation of essays on various aspects of tourism and “delves into the multifaceted aspects of fostering resilience within the tourism sector and explores current trends in tourism, resilience, and sustainability amid global change and innovation.”

Bartlett is uniquely qualified to discuss the matters, having also launched the Global Tourism Resilience and Crisis Management Centre (GTRCMC) in Jamaica in 2019 – presciently before the pandemic, which played a prominent role in the book.

The GTRCMC, however, has a broader mandate than simply COVID, being dedicated to planning for, assessing, forecasting, mitigating, and managing all risks related to tourism resilience and crisis management.

“We looked at resilience and sustainability, and its impact not just on tourism but on the global states,” he told Travel Industry Today in a recent interview. “I think COVID has taught us some new and shocking lessons – that we are truly, truly vulnerable and that we are vulnerable to multiple disruptions from so many areas: not just weather, as we (Jamaica) are concerned. It’s not just about fires as you (Canada) are concerned; it’s not just about war as the Ukrainians and Europe is now concerned… or seismic issues like earthquakes and tsunamis, and so on. But it’s also about cyber issues – now your identity is at risk; and the issues of what machine intelligence is going to do. So, the traditional ways in which we do things become disruptive in their own way.

“So, how do you manage that process and navigate through it and be able to benefit in the end, because the creativity of men is all about his own advancement, not about destroying men. Unlike how people think artificial intelligence is there to eviscerate men, it’s not! AI is there to augment their experience and make life better for you. But you have to manage it.

“The real joy of tomorrow is man’s enormous capacity to innovate and to pivot and to adapt, and I’m very comfortable about that.”

To that end, Bartlett says his book examines these issues and how they will affect travel and tourism, including virtualization and digitalization.

But the book goes beyond tourism, he notes. “There’s a lot about new experiences and the value of innovation as the most critical tool to enable us not just to survive but to thrive. And thriving is the final objective in all of this.”

Channeling his day job, Bartlett says the book examines Jamaica’s response and navigation of the COVID-19 pandemic, which saw the country – and its critical tourism industry – recover more quickly than many others with the destination poised to set records in 2023 and its economy posting nine consecutive quarters of growth.

Bartlett says the book is aimed at a global audience and will be promoted at a book launch tour that will include events in London, New York and in Toronto, as well as other world centres like Dubai.

“I think, if I’m allowed to say so,” Bartlett concludes, “it’s the first seminal academic look at these subjects in the context of tourism and in the frame of the dominion of the post-COVID world. It’s intended to invite a little bit of inquiry and further in-depth look at the areas we touched on.”

“Thought Leadership on Tourism, Resilience, and Sustainability in the 21st Century,” is available on Amazon in paper and Kindle formats, and Bartlett expects it to be in bookstores soon.