Jamaica Tourist Board President Donovan White says the appointment of sprint legend Usain Bolt as Jamaica’s Global Tourism Ambassador brings together “two big brands”—Jamaica and Bolt—in a partnership that will play a transformative role in how the island markets itself to the world.

In a statement released on Friday, White explained that the move not only leverages Bolt’s unmatched global recognition but also reflects the natural synergy between the eight-time Olympic champion and the country he has long personified.

“Usain Bolt’s brand and recognition globally is unprecedented,” White said. “The Jamaica Tourist Board’s recognition of this, and our ability to now name him as our Global Ambassador and have him commit to working with us globally… means our integrated marketing approach to promote Jamaica across the world will now include Usain.”

The announcement was made Thursday night at Devon House during a gala event celebrating the 70th anniversary of the Jamaica Tourist Board, where Tourism Minister Hon. Edmund Bartlett formally introduced Bolt as the island’s latest tourism envoy.

White highlighted the symbolic and strategic importance of the move, describing it as a fusion of identities that already share a deep connection.

“We are extremely proud that we were able to find this nexus between bringing two big brands together—Usain and Jamaica,” he said. “In fact, when you think about it, it’s one brand—because Jamaica is Usain and Usain is Jamaica.”

With Jamaica targeting five million visitor arrivals and US$5 billion in tourism earnings by 2026, White believes Bolt’s role will bring new energy and credibility to the country’s global campaign. The track icon will be a central figure in the JTB’s next international marketing push, scheduled to launch in August 2025.

“We are extremely happy to make this happen at a time when we are on a growth trajectory in tourism,” White added. “We believe that these goals are aligned, and we’re going to be able to bring a kind of difference to how we position Jamaica globally.”

White’s comments reflect the growing belief among tourism stakeholders that Jamaica must continue to innovate and personalise its messaging to remain competitive. With Bolt now officially part of that strategy, the JTB is betting on star power and authenticity to drive results.