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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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Cabinet Approves Establishment of Jamaica’s First Hotel School

KINGSTON, Jamaica; January 11, 2017: Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett today (January 11, 2017) announced that Cabinet has approved the arrangements for the development of Jamaica’s first Hotel School

$80 Million Allocated for Negril Artisan Village

NEGRIL, Westmoreland, Jamaica; Sunday, December 18, 2016: Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett has assured craft traders in the fast developing resort town of Negril that $80 million has been allocated to construct an artisan village in the area.

Cabinet Approves the Establishment of a Pension Scheme for Tourism Workers

MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica; December 14, 2016: Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett today announced that Cabinet has approved the drafting of the Tourism Workers Pension Act to facilitate the creation of the much needed pension fund. The scheme will benefit all tourism workers, including Red Cap Porters, craft vendors, ground transportation operators and hotel workers.

Jamaica Tourist Board Signs MOU with Airbnb

KINGSTON, Jamaica, December 14, 2016: A memorandum of understanding (MOU) to establish a framework for cooperation to further boost and diversify Jamaica’s tourism product, was signed on December 13, 2016 by the Jamaica Tourist Board and home-sharing accommodation company Airbnb. Ahead of the signing, at the Jamaica Tourist Board’s New Kingston offices, Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett expressed his excitement about the positive impact he expects the partnership to have on the travel experience of visitors and Jamaica’s tourism product overall.

Tourism Linkages Networks Expanded to Further Drive Economic Growth

KINGSTON, Jamaica; December 8, 2016: Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett today (December 08, 2016) officially launched five new networks under its overarching Tourism Linkages Network initiative, to better position the sector to generate higher growth rates, in both visitor arrivals and earnings.

Minister Bartlett Kick-Starts Winter Tourist Season With Motivational Tour

MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica; December 11, 2016: The island’s tourism sector has signalled its readiness for what is expected to be the best winter tourist season in the country’s history. With hundreds of additional rooms being brought on stream, a significant increase in air seats out of key markets and an uptick in cruise arrivals, Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett is beaming with anticipation.

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