Government of Jamaica

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News Releases

Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett (second right) leads a unifying group handshake with (from left) Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Tourism, Jennifer Griffith, outgoing Chairman of the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF), Hon. Godfrey Dyer and incoming TEF Chairman, Ryan Parkes at the Ministry’s One-day Strategic Visioning Retreat held last Wednesday at the AC Marriott Hotel.

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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.

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J$16 Million in Contracts Earned from 2018 Staging of Christmas in July

KINGSTON, Jamaica; July 22, 2019: Tourism Minister Hon, Edmund Bartlett says that his Ministry’s Christmas in July tradeshow has been a resounding success for local manufacturers, noting that last year at least 30 participants collectively received contracts valued at over J$16 million.

Strong support for Tourism Workers’ Pension Scheme

OCHO RIOS, Jamaica, Friday, July 19, 2019: In anticipation of passing its final hurdle in the Senate, the Ministry of Tourism has embarked on another round of awareness and sensitization sessions to get workers signed onto the Tourism Workers’ Pension Scheme.

Jamaica’s Tourism Workers’ Pension Scheme to be a Landmark for Global Tourism Social Legislation – says Bartlett

KINGSTON, Jamaica; July 17, 2019: Tourism Minister, Hon Edmund Bartlett says the Tourism Workers’ Pension Scheme will be a landmark plan for tourism social legislation in the world, as it will be the first of its kind to provide a comprehensive pension plan for all the workers of the tourism sector — whether permanent, contract or self-employed.

Bartlett offers Condolences to relatives of Tourism Marketing Executive Marie Deeble Walker

KINGSTON, Jamaica; July 13, 2019: Minister of Tourism Hon. Edmund Bartlett has expressed deep regret at the passing of former Jamaica Tourist Board marketing executive, Marie Deeble Walker.

Linkages increasing opportunities for Small Tourism Suppliers

MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica, Friday, July 12, 2019: A new marketing gateway is being opened by way of the tourism linkages strategy, for the “the ordinary Jamaican” to benefit from dollar resources of the growing industry.

Global Tourism Resilience Centre to Partner with MIT on Sargassum Research

MONTEGO BAY, St. James; June 29, 2019: The recently established Global Tourism and Crisis Management Centre is set to partner with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) to conduct research on the potential threat of sargassum to the destination and wider Caribbean.