Government of Jamaica

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Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett (2nd right) is joined by Director of the Jamaica Centre for Tourism Innovation (JCTI), Carol Rose-Brown (right) in greeting a portion of the first cohort of executive sous chefs trained and graduated by any Caribbean country outside the chamber of Gordon House ahead of his 2026 Sectoral Debate Presentation on Tuesday, June 23, 2026.

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Bartlett Declares New Era Built on Trust, Inclusion and Local Prosperity KINGSTON, Jamaica; Thursday, June 25, 2026: Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, has unveiled a new growth agenda dubbed: Tourism 3.0, describing it as Jamaica’s new development architecture designed to transform tourism from a successful industry into a more inclusive and resilient national economic engine rooted in trust, confidence and shared prosperity. Making his 2026 Sectoral Debate Presentation in Gordon House earlier this week, under the theme “Trust and Confidence,” Minister Bartlett positioned Tourism 3.0 as the framework that will guide the next phase of Jamaica’s tourism evolution, one where growth is measured not only by visitor arrivals but by stronger communities, higher local retention, greater resilience and broader economic participation. “Tourism 3.0 is not a slogan. It is a new development architecture for Jamaica,” Bartlett declared.

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Tourism Minister to Sign Major Agreement with Airbnb

KINGSTON, Jamaica; November 14, 2016: Honouring his commitment to develop new tourism-partnerships, Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett today (November 14, 2016) announced that the Ministry of Tourism is set to sign a major agreement with Airbnb to augment and drive growth within the tourism industry.

Linkages Network to Plug Multi-Billion $ Leakage in Manufacturing, Agriculture Sectors

MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica, Friday, November 11, 2016: The Ministry of Tourism’s Linkages Network has stepped up an initiative to plug the leakage of billions of dollars in the manufacturing and agricultural sectors resulting from imports by local tourism entities. A Tourism Demand Study, commissioned by the Ministry of Tourism in 2015, determined that “the annual leakage due to imports amounts to $65.5 billion in the manufacturing sector and between $1.6 billion and $5 billion in the agricultural sector.”

Tourism Outlook Seminar Rescheduled to the New Year

KINGSTON, Jamaica; November 09, 2016: In light of the impending local government elections on November 28, 2016, Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett has announced that the much-anticipated Tourism Outlook Seminar (TOS), slated for December 6-8 at the Montego Bay Convention Centre, has been postponed.

Jamaica Records Over 5% Increase in Visitor Arrivals and Earnings

LONDON, United Kingdom; November 07, 2016: Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, today (November 07, 2016) disclosed that Jamaica’s tourism sector has registered an increase of over 5 per cent in both visitor arrivals and gross foreign exchange earnings for the first nine months of 2016.

TEF and EXIM Bank Sign MOU to Establish $1 Billion Loan Fund for SMTEs

MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica; Wednesday, September 22, 2016: The Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF) has committed $1 billion to provide well needed loans to small and medium-sized tourism enterprises (SMTEs) to boost the sustainable growth of the industry. A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the EXIM Bank to administer the revolving loan scheme and make disbursements to successful applicants was signed on September 21, 2016 with the TEF at the Hilton Beach Resort & Spa.

Minister Bartlett Supports International Coastal Cleanup Day 2016

KINGSTON, Jamaica; September 19, 2016: Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett joined thousands of volunteers, who participated in this year’s staging of International Coastal Cleanup (ICC) Day, at 140 sites across the island on Saturday September 17, 2016.