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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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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TPDCo to Lead Drive to Boost Integrity of the Tourism Product

MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica, March 14, 2016: Minister of Tourism Hon Edmund Bartlett has challenged the Tourism Product Development Company (TPDCo) and leaders of key subsectors of the industry to raise standards and maintain integrity within the sector. The Minister issued his charge recently as he embarked on a series of stakeholder meetings with subsector groups to outline the way forward, with the emphasis being on growth.
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Tourism Linkages Speed Networking Event

MONTEGO BAY, St James, Jamaica, March 24, 2016: In the aftermath of the third Tourism Linkages Speed Networking Event participants from various sectors including entertainment and construction are hailing the event as a major success. This as the participants emphasize that the event, which was held recently, has opened doors for well-needed business opportunities.
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Minister Bartlett to Meet With Tourism Partners in New York

KINGSTON, Jamaica; April 4, 2016: Minister of Tourism Hon. Edmund Bartlett will travel to the United States today (April 4, 2016) to attend several important meetings with strategic tourism partners, including representatives of the Jamaica Tourist Board’s advertising agency, in New York and New Jersey.
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Minister Bartlett Pushes For Partnership With Cuba

MONTEGO BAY, St. James, Jamaica, March 21, 2016: Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett does not believe the changing tide in relations between the United States of America and Cuba threatens Jamaica’s tourism market. His comments come as US President Barack Obama makes his historic trip to Cuba.
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Hon. Edmund Bartlett Returns as Jamaica’s Minister of Tourism

Kingston, Jamaica: March 8, 2016 – Hon. Edmund Bartlett has once again been appointed Jamaica’s Minister of Tourism, following the swearing in of Jamaica’s new Government at Kings House yesterday (March 7). Minister Bartlett previously served as Tourism Minister from 2007-2011 and replaces Wykeham McNeill, who held the portfolio from 2011-2016, under the Portia Simpson Miller-led government.
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Bartlett Proposes Tourism Credit Bank

MONTEGO BAY, St. James, Jamaica, March 17, 2016: The Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF) and the EXIM Bank are to set the stage for the establishment of a tourism bank. Minister of Tourism, Hon Edmund Bartlett has proposed the tourism bank as source of funding for service providers in the tourism industry to enable them to build capacity and reap more from the industry.
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