Generation C: The Way Post-Covid Tourists Will Shape the Industry

Jamaican Minister of Tourism, Edmund Bartlett, says a new generation of post COVID-19 travelers (Generation C or GEN-C), will reshape the way global tourism is marketed for the conceivable future.

In statements made to The Jamaica Star, Mr. Bartlett said that tourism-dependent countries like Jamaica will have to take the lead and be more proactive in their approach in what will amount to “a new way of thinking in an entirely new ballgame”.

He warned that failure to embark on a strategic pathway could result in being squeezed out or left behind in what, undoubtedly, will be an even more increasingly competitive tourism industry.

“We have now become one generation, unified and defined by our experience during this devastating COVID-19 global pandemic,” Bartlett told the Jamaican newspaper.

Bartlett said that the GEN-C concept was officially rolled out on Wednesday at the Annual General Meeting of the UK Chapter of the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) by his Ministry, where Jamaica made clear its intention to play a lead role in getting tourism back on track in the aftermath of COVID-19.

He emphasised that a return to travel is critical for the global economy, pointing out that across the world, travel and tourism account for 11 per cent of the world’s GDP and create more than 320 million jobs for workers serving 1.4 billion travellers annually.

According to Mr. Bartlett, the ongoing global tourism ministries are working on policy frameworks that are essential to tackling the health and safety, transport, destination and overall approach to tourism resilience.