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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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Workers Joyful as Royalton Negril Reopens Amid Wider Tourism Recovery

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 to Lead Development of Caribbean Tourism Innovation Centre

Kingston, Jamaica; April 13, 2018: Following a successful presentation on Jamaica’s plans to establish a Centre of Tourism Innovation through the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF), Jamaica was asked to lead the development of a similar centre for the region.

TEF’s New Business Model to Focus on Tourism Innovation

KINGSTON, Jamaica; April 12, 2018: Tourism Minister, Hon. Edmund Bartlett says the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF) will be repositioned within the next month as the country’s primary producers of tourism innovation, better allowing his Ministry to meet demands of the industry.

US $2.4 Million Earned by Kingston Airbnb Users in 2017

KINGSTON, Jamaica; April 11, 2018: Tourism Minister Hon. Edmund Bartlett urged more Jamaicans to embrace innovative tourism enterprises, such as Airbnb, as they have the potential to have a major impact on the local economy. He noted that in 2017 some 910 Kingston hosts earned a collective US$2.4 million from the digital home sharing site.

Tourism Minister to Garner Support for Global Disaster Resilience Centre in South America

KINGSTON, Jamaica; April 11, 2018: Minister of Tourism, Hon Edmund Bartlett leaves the island today to attend a series of meetings in South America. While there, he is expected to make a presentation on the Global Disaster Resilience Centre that is to be established in Jamaica, as well as garner more support for Small and Medium Sized Tourism Enterprises.

$100m For Tourism Curriculum in High Schools Sept.

MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica; April 10, 2018: The Ministry of Tourism is providing $100 million in a collaborative effort with the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, to launch the first certification programme for high school students to gain entry level qualification in tourism.

First Quarter Tourist Arrivals Hit New Record – Says Bartlett

KINGSTON, Jamaica; April 5, 2018 : Despite a record breaking 2017, Jamaica tourism numbers for the first quarter of the year have hit new records, according to Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett.

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