Government of Jamaica

News Releases

News Releases

PS in the Ministry of Tourism, Jennifer Griffith (2nd right) engages in a lively discussion with Bishop Everton Lawrence of Faith Temple Assemblies of God (left), Junior Minister of Tourism and Montego Bay High School student, ThaeJadore Kerr (2nd left) and member of the Board of Directors for Jamaica Vacations (JAMVAC), Tricia-Ann Bicarie, following yesterday’s (September 27) Thanksgiving Church Service to mark World Tourism Day and kickstart Tourism Awareness Week 2026, which runs from Sept 27 – Oct 3.

Featured News Releases

Thanksgiving Church Service Kickstarts Tourism Awareness Week 2026 MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica; Monday, September 28, 2026: Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, has stressed that artificial intelligence and other digital technology are being used to strategically transform Jamaica’s tourism sector. This as the Ministry of Tourism, its public bodies and industry stakeholders, joined global partners in marking the annual UN-Tourism backed World Tourism Day (WTD), with a thanksgiving church service yesterday (September 27). The service also officially kick-started Tourism Awareness Week (TAW) 2026, being observed from September 27 to October 3, under the theme “Digital Agenda and Artificial Intelligence to Redesign Tourism,” in keeping with the theme selected by UN Tourism for WTD. In a message read by Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Tourism, Jennifer Griffith, Minister Bartlett said the ministry was “actively leveraging AI and digital technology to modernise the sector through key initiatives such as real-time concierges, deploying multilingual digital concierges, and structured content to optimise visitor bookings, as well as predictive analytics.”

All News Releases

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.

Bartlett to review Tourism Security Audit Report

MONTEGO BAY, St. James; June 29, 2019: Tourism Minister, Hon Edmund Bartlett has announced that he will be reviewing the report on the intensive island wide security audit of the sector soon. The audit was carried out by the Tourism Product Development Company (TPDCo) with support from well-known international security expert Dr. Peter Tarlow.