NAIROBI; Kenya; February 19, 2026 – Jamaica’s Minister of Tourism, Hon Edmund Bartlett, on Monday, February 16, delivered a powerful call to action for the global tourism community to move ‘From Crisis to Transformation’ as he addressed the opening of the 4th Global Tourism Resilience Day Conference and Expo in Nairobi, Kenya. Hosted in partnership with the Government of Kenya and anchored by the Kenyatta University, the conference convened global tourism leaders, policymakers, academics, and private sector stakeholders to examine the urgent need for building resilience in an era of constant disruption. Speaking under the conference theme ‘From Crisis to Transformation’, Minister Bartlett outlined the overlapping global challenges reshaping tourism, including climate shocks, health-security threats, geopolitical instability, economic volatility, public safety concerns, cybercrime, and the growing threat of misinformation and disinformation.

KINGSTON, Jamaica; Friday, February 13, 2026: Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, departed the island today for Nairobi, Kenya, where he will participate in the 4th Global Tourism Resilience Day Conference and Expo (GTRDCE), scheduled for February 15–18, 2026, at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC). The high-level gathering marks a historic milestone, as it represents the first annual international observation of Global Tourism Resilience Day to be hosted outside of Jamaica, and the first to be staged on the African continent. Global Tourism Resilience Day was officially proclaimed by the United Nations in 2023, following sustained advocacy spearheaded by Minister Bartlett, positioning Jamaica as the global thought leader on tourism resilience. “This moment is deeply symbolic for Jamaica and profoundly important for the world,” said Minister Bartlett. “What began as an idea born out of Jamaica’s own vulnerabilities and lived experience has now become a global movement. Hosting this event in Africa, and particularly in Kenya, reflects the shared journey of resilience, transformation and opportunity that connects our nations,” he added.

Excellence Moves to Boost Staff Training and Development MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica; Monday, February 9, 2026: Spanish investors in the adults-only Excellence Oyster Bay, one of the most luxurious resorts along the north coast corridor, are set to expand their investment in Jamaica’s tourism industry and triple the property’s room count over the next ten years. The expansion will commence immediately with a major increase in its very popular Beach Bungalows by the end of 2026. Concurrently, the Spanish investors have committed to ensuring the property has a team of highly trained and satisfied staff and ultimately to recruit a general manager from Jamaica. An elated Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, shared the news yesterday (February 8) after a tour of the 300-room resort just outside of Falmouth and private discussions with the investors. He then announced that Excellence will be adding another four hotels in the area “to bring some 2,000 rooms all told into the next ten years of our development.”