News Releases

Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett (second right) leads a unifying group handshake with (from left) Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Tourism, Jennifer Griffith, outgoing Chairman of the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF), Hon. Godfrey Dyer and incoming TEF Chairman, Ryan Parkes at the Ministry’s One-day Strategic Visioning Retreat held last Wednesday at the AC Marriott Hotel.

Featured News Releases

Ryan Parkes Named New TEF Chairman

Minister Bartlett Salutes Godfrey Dyer’s 14 Years of Exemplary Service KINGSTON, Jamaica; Thursday, April 30, 2026: Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, has named Ryan Parkes, Group Chief Executive Officer of Island Car Rentals and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Tourism Workers Pension Scheme (TWPS), as the new Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF), effective May 1, 2026. The appointment, recently approved by Cabinet, was announced at the Ministry’s One-day Strategic Visioning Retreat held on April 22 at the AC Marriott Hotel. In making the announcement, Minister Bartlett also paid tribute to the outgoing TEF Chairman, Hon. Godfrey Dyer, whose 14-year tenure at the helm of the TEF represents the longest record of chairmanship in the fund’s history and one of the longest across government.

All News Releases

TEF Invests Over $100 million in Montego Bay Cultural Centre

MONTEGO BAY, St. James: July 13, 2014: The Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF) has invested over $100 million in the creation of Montego Bay’s first cultural centre. Minister of Tourism and Entertainment, Hon. Dr. Wykeham McNeill, disclosed at the official opening of the Montego Bay Cultural Centre (MBCC) in the historic Sam Sharpe Square on Friday (July 11), that to date the TEF has contributed some $109 million to its development.

Suspension of Private Jet-Ski Operations to be Lifted July 18

Kingston, Jamaica: July 17, 2014 – Effective Friday July 18, 2014 the operation of private Personal Water Crafts (PWCs) will be re-opened across the island for licensed PWC users. This after an island-wide ban was imposed in February to allow for the regularization of the commercial operations; and for steps to be taken by the Maritime Authority of Jamaica (MAJ) to register all PWCs or jet-skis in the island.

Jamrock Summer to Harness Jamaica’s Entertainment and Culture to Drive Arrivals

MONTEGO BAY, JAMAICA, Thursday, July 17, 2014: The variety and vibrancy of Jamaica’s cultural expressions are being packaged to promote the destination to worldwide tourism markets as the land of not merely sun, sea, and sand but excellent entertainment. The innovative summer entertainment programme branded as “Jamrock Summer – 90 Days, 90 Ways” was launched at the picturesque Sandals Royal Caribbean Island in Montego Bay yesterday (July 16) by the Ministry of Tourism and Entertainment, and endorsed by the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA).

TEF Finances $248 million Lighting Project for MoBay’s Elegant Corridor

MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica: Friday, July 20, 2014: Montego Bay’s Elegant Corridor is slated to be brightly lit at nights before the middle of next year, following the signing of a contract for a $248 million lighting project financed by the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF).

DNA Connects CNN Anchor to Cambridge, Jamaica

MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica, July 23, 2014: A DNA test for her job as CNN anchor has led Michaela Pereira of Canada to Cambridge in St. James, Jamaica to unearth her genealogical roots. “I was adopted as an infant in Canada and I always knew that one part of my heritage came from Jamaica,” she related. But she was unsure of how the connection came about. “I didn’t know if one of my parents was Canadian-Jamaica or Jamaican-Jamaica,” she said.

Minister McNeill to Participate in Jamaica Promotion at Commonwealth Games

Kingston, Jamaica: July 29, 2014 - Minister of Tourism and Entertainment, the Hon. Dr. Wykeham McNeill, is scheduled to participate in several activities aimed at marketing destination Jamaica during the 2014 Commonwealth Games, which are being held in Glasgow, Scotland, from July 23 to August 3, 2014. Minister McNeill is currently in Trinidad where he represented Jamaica at the first Japan/CARICOM Summit, which took place on Monday, July 28. He will depart Trinidad for Glasgow this afternoon (July 29).

Contact Information

64 Knutsford Boulevard,
Kingston 5, Jamaica

(876) 920-4926-30

info@mot.gov.jm