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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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Minister of Tourism Announces Donovan White as New Director of Tourism, Jamaica Tourist Board

KINGSTON, JAMAICA; January 30, 2018: Mr. Donovan White has been selected to fill the position of Director of Tourism of the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB), after an extensive local and international search. His appointment has been announced by Minister of Tourism, the Honourable Edmund Bartlett.

Cruise Arrivals up by 14 Per Cent in December 2017

KINGSTON, Jamaica; January 25, 2018: Tourism Minister, Hon. Edmund Bartlett says, newly released figures from the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) for December 2017, highlight that Jamaica’s tourism product continues to see record-breaking growth in visitor arrivals.

Government Commits to Redevelop Montego Bay to Appleton Railway by 2020

KINGSTON, Jamaica; January 19, 2017: Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett says that the Government of Jamaica has been in discussions with a number of investors to resuscitate the railway programme to Appleton Estate, which he hopes will result in an increase of tourists visiting the South Coast of the island. The project has a completion date of 2020.

Minister Bartlett Assures Jamaica Remains Safe for Visitors

KINGSTON, Jamaica; January 19, 2018 – Jamaica’s Minister of Tourism, the Hon. Edmund Bartlett would like to reassure visitors that Jamaica remains safe during the State of Public Emergency for the Parish of St. James. The action taken by the Government is not arbitrary as it required a great deal of strategic planning.

New UNWTO Secretary General Endorses Global Tourism Resilience Centre being established in Jamaica

KINGSTON, Jamaica; January 16, 2018: Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett says, newly-appointed Secretary General of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Zurab Pololikashvili, has pledged his full support for the establishment of the first Global Tourism Resilience Centre in Jamaica.

Parish Judges Sensitized on Visitor Security

MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica; Monday, January 15, 2018: Parish Court judges have been made more aware of the critical role they can play in building confidence for the safety and security of visitors to the island.

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