News Releases

Minister Bartlett Highlights Resilience, Workforce Development and Sustainable Growth as Cornerstones of Tourism's Next Chapter MANHATTAN, New York; Tuesday, June 2, 2026 — Jamaica's tourism sector is entering a new era of transformation under the banner of Tourism 3.0, a bold strategy aimed at repositioning the destination for sustained growth, enhanced competitiveness and greater benefits for Jamaican workers and communities. Speaking at the opening of CTO Caribbean Week in New York yesterday, Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, underscored the remarkable resilience of Jamaica's tourism sector, noting that despite a series of global disruptions, the industry has continued to demonstrate its strength and adaptability. “In every instance, the real resilience that is the essence of tourism manifested itself in Jamaica,” said Minister Bartlett. “These disruptions have bent us a little bit, but they have not broken the spirit of the Jamaican people.”

KINGSTON, Jamaica; Monday, June 1, 2026: Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, has departed the island for a series of high-level tourism engagements this month in New York and Spain aimed at strengthening Jamaica’s global tourism partnerships, advancing regional collaboration and reinforcing the country’s leadership in tourism resilience and sustainability. The tourism minister is participating in the Caribbean Tourism Organization’s (CTO) Caribbean Week in New York from June 1-5, where he will join regional tourism leaders, travel trade partners, media representatives and industry stakeholders in a packed programme of leadership fora, business meetings, cultural showcases and networking events. During the week, Minister Bartlett will participate in meetings of the CTO Council of Ministers and engage with key tourism stakeholders while supporting efforts by the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) and local tourism partners to promote Jamaica’s diverse tourism offerings in one of the island’s most important source markets.

GREEN ISLAND, Hanover, Jamaica; Wednesday, May 27, 2026: Jamaica is positioning itself to secure a share of the multi-billion-dollar global medical and dental tourism market as it intensifies efforts to penetrate new and emerging tourism markets. Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, says the health and wellness subsector presents enormous opportunities for Jamaica, noting that the global medical and dental tourism market is currently valued at between US$10 billion and US$15 billion and is projected to grow rapidly over the next decade to between US$41 billion and US$65 billion. Addressing the 62nd Convention of the Jamaica Dental Association (JDA) at the Princess Grand Jamaica recently, Minister Bartlett pointed to destinations already capitalising on the lucrative industry by combining high-quality medical procedures with vacation experiences.

ST.JOHN’S; Antigua and Barbuda; Tuesday, May 12, 2026: Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, one of the Caribbean's most influential voices in global travel and tourism, has issued a bold call to action to the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), urging member states to formally recognise tourism as the region's single largest economic activity and to act collectively to protect, develop, and future-proof the industry. Speaking ahead of the start of the Caribbean Travel Marketplace 2026 trade show in Antigua and Barbuda, Minister Bartlett noted that while tourism contributes more than 40 per cent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) across several Caribbean economies and supports the livelihoods of millions of citizens, it is still not a core priority of CARICOM's strategic agenda. “Tourism is not a secondary consideration — it is the economic backbone of the Caribbean. The time has come for CARICOM to treat it as such, with the urgency, resources, and political will the sector demands,” said the Minister.

Tourism Minister to Attend Celebration of New Treasure Beach Village at Beaches Turks & Caicos KINGSTON, Jamaica; Monday, May 11, 2026: Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett has departed the island to participate in the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association’s (CHTA) Caribbean Travel Marketplace 2026 trade show in Antigua and Barbuda from May 12–15, where regional leaders, hoteliers, tour operators, airlines, travel advisors and other tourism stakeholders will engage in high-level discussions and business meetings aimed at strengthening Caribbean tourism competitiveness, connectivity and collaboration. The annual marketplace, organised by the CHTA, is regarded as the Caribbean’s premier tourism business event and will feature several days of strategic engagements, including business appointments between buyers and suppliers, the Caribbean Travel Forum, Responsible Tourism Day activities and the Direct Booking Summit focused on digital marketing, artificial intelligence and technology trends shaping the future of tourism.

Minister Bartlett Salutes Godfrey Dyer’s 14 Years of Exemplary Service KINGSTON, Jamaica; Thursday, April 30, 2026: Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, has named Ryan Parkes, Group Chief Executive Officer of Island Car Rentals and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Tourism Workers Pension Scheme (TWPS), as the new Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF), effective May 1, 2026. The appointment, recently approved by Cabinet, was announced at the Ministry’s One-day Strategic Visioning Retreat held on April 22 at the AC Marriott Hotel. In making the announcement, Minister Bartlett also paid tribute to the outgoing TEF Chairman, Hon. Godfrey Dyer, whose 14-year tenure at the helm of the TEF represents the longest record of chairmanship in the fund’s history and one of the longest across government.