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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Minister Bartlett Meets With US Ambassador to Jamaica

KINGSTON, Jamaica; March 09, 2016: In a bid to further strengthen relations between Jamaica and the United States in the area of tourism Minister of Tourism Hon. Edmund Bartlett met with US Ambassador to Jamaica, His Excellency Luis Moreno, and members of his team today (March 9).
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Minister Bartlett Lays out Five Pillars for Tourism Growth

MONTEGO BAY, St. James, Jamaica, April 10, 2016: Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett has outlined to the new boards of directors of key agencies in the ministry, five pillars on which the Ministry and its agencies will seek to transform the island's vibrant tourism sector and achieve double digit growth.
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Public Private Partnerships to form significant part of tourism growth strategy – Bartlett

KINGSTON, Jamaica, March 17, 2016: Minister of Tourism, Honourable Edmund Bartlett, yesterday noted that Public Private Partnerships (PPP) will form a key part of Jamaica’s tourism growth strategy. Given our government’s policy to make the private sector the engine of growth it is critical for the Tourism Ministry and its support agencies to pursue PPP arrangements that ultimately redound to the Jamaica’s benefit. It is an ultimate win win situation,said Bartlett.
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TEF Enhances JCF Crime-Fighting Efforts with Donation of 15 Vehicles

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First Staging of ‘Arts in the Park’ a Major Success

The first staging of ‘ Arts in the Park,’ an initiative of the Ministry of Tourism and Entertainment as part of its effort to develop the entertainment sector, is being heralded as a major success. The inaugural event was held at Hope Botanical Gardens in Kingston on February 24, 2013, and provided a total cultural immersion into the visual and performing arts for both locals and visitors alike. This, with a reggae show billed in its entirety with new and emerging talent, coupled with a village for local artists to showcase their paintings, craft items and other forms of art.
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Tourism Linkages Hub to be Established within Ministry of Tourism and Entertainment

Kingston, Jamaica: December 12, 2012 – Minister of Tourism and Entertainment, the Hon. Dr. Wykeham McNeill has announced that a Hub is to be formed within his Ministry to drive the process of establishing linkages between the tourism and other industries forward. Explaining further he said, “this Hub would be what would gather data and disseminate information, and would work with input and representation from the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA), Jamaica Manufacturers Association (JMA) and JAMPRO”.
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