Government of Jamaica

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Minister of Tourism, Hon Edmund Bartlett (right) receives a welcome hug, one of the many he received on his tour of Royalton Negril on Tuesday, August 25, 2026. Management and staff were out in their numbers to greet the Minister at the restart of operations following a multi-million-dollar restoration in the wake of last year’s hurricane.

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NEGRIL, Jamaica; Thursday, August 27, 2026: Pulsating music, dance and colourful dresses marked the reopening of the Royalton Negril hotel and the return of nearly 1,000 workers to their jobs. The hotel reopened at 50 percent occupancy, which is expected to rise to 80 percent over the US Thanksgiving period, and is already sold out for Jamaica’s Heroes Weekend and Christmas. Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, was excited as he moved among staff members and was greeted with gleeful smiles as he toured the property to see firsthand its multi-million-dollar recovery from the impact of hurricane Melissa. “When I walked in, I saw that 960 workers were back on the job, and that by Thanksgiving, I'm told, the other 320 will be back, and we will have a full complement of 1,200 workers employed. That means families are now going to be more secure. It's coming back at the right time with back to school,” Minister Bartlett said.

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Jamaica Successful in Bid to Chair UNWTO’s Regional Commission for the Americas

KINGSTON, Jamaica; May 17, 2019: Jamaica was yesterday selected to chair the United Nations World Tourism Organization’s (UNWTO) Regional Commission for the Americas (CAM) for the biennium 2019-2021.

Bartlett to Lobby for Jamaica to Chair the UNWTO’s Regional Commission for the Americas

KINGSTON, Jamaica; May 14, 2019: Tourism Minister, Hon Edmund Bartlett departs the island today, to attend the 64th Meeting of the United Nations World Tourism Organization’s (UNWTO) Regional Commission for the Americas (CAM) in Guatemala City - La Antigua, Guatemala. While there, he is expected to present Jamaica’s candidature for the chairmanship of CAM to the UNWTO for the biennium 2019-2021.

Minister Bartlett Extends Condolences to the family of Pishu Chandiram

KINGSTON, Jamaica; May 13, 2019: Minister of Tourism Hon. Edmund Bartlett has expressed deep regret at the passing of tourism and in-bond trade stalwart, Pishu Chandiram.

New Artisan Village part of Tourism Inclusive Growth Strategy

FALMOUTH, Trelawny; May 10, 2019: Minister of Tourism, Hon Edmund Bartlett says the artisan village being constructed at Hampden Wharf in Trelawny forms part of the overall inclusive growth strategy to increase earnings among local suppliers.

Tourism Workers’ Pension Bill to be Debated May 21

FALMOUTH, Trelawny; May 9, 2019: The long awaited Tourism Worker’s Pension Bill is one step closer to becoming a reality. This as Minister of Tourism, Hon Edmund Bartlett says the pension bill will be debated on May 21.

Global Resilience Centre to Open in October

KINGSTON, Jamaica; May 08, 2019: Tourism Minister, Hon Edmund Bartlett says the Global Tourism Resilience and Crisis Management Centre is scheduled to open by the first week in October at a newly refurbished J$27 million facility housed at the University of the West Indies, Mona.