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PS in the Ministry of Tourism, Jennifer Griffith (2nd right) engages in a lively discussion with Bishop Everton Lawrence of Faith Temple Assemblies of God (left), Junior Minister of Tourism and Montego Bay High School student, ThaeJadore Kerr (2nd left) and member of the Board of Directors for Jamaica Vacations (JAMVAC), Tricia-Ann Bicarie, following yesterday’s (September 27) Thanksgiving Church Service to mark World Tourism Day and kickstart Tourism Awareness Week 2026, which runs from Sept 27 – Oct 3.

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AI and Other Digital Technology Being Used to Transform Tourism Sector - Bartlett

Thanksgiving Church Service Kickstarts Tourism Awareness Week 2026 MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica; Monday, September 28, 2026: Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, has stressed that artificial intelligence and other digital technology are being used to strategically transform Jamaica’s tourism sector. This as the Ministry of Tourism, its public bodies and industry stakeholders, joined global partners in marking the annual UN-Tourism backed World Tourism Day (WTD), with a thanksgiving church service yesterday (September 27). The service also officially kick-started Tourism Awareness Week (TAW) 2026, being observed from September 27 to October 3, under the theme “Digital Agenda and Artificial Intelligence to Redesign Tourism,” in keeping with the theme selected by UN Tourism for WTD. In a message read by Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Tourism, Jennifer Griffith, Minister Bartlett said the ministry was “actively leveraging AI and digital technology to modernise the sector through key initiatives such as real-time concierges, deploying multilingual digital concierges, and structured content to optimise visitor bookings, as well as predictive analytics.”

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Minister McNeill – Position Tourism as a Powerful Force for Change

Kingston, Jamaica: September 14, 2015 – Minister of Tourism and Entertainment and Chairman of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Executive Council, Hon. Dr. Wykeham McNeill, has called on international tourism officials to ensure that while enjoying the success of national and global tourism they do enough to position the sector as a powerful force for change.

Newly Upgraded Burwood Beach Facility Opened

TEF Provides $28 Million for Renovation FALMOUTH, Jamaica, Sunday, January 10, 2016: The parish of Trelawny now boasts one of the best public beaches in the island following an investment of $28 million in the development of the Burwood Beach on the outskirts of Falmouth.

Rafting in Portland to get Major Boost

Kingston Jamaica; January 1 4 , 201 6 : The rafting experience in Portland is set to be significantly enhanced, with some $32 million being allocated to renovate the facilities in Berridale and Rafter’s Rest. This was revealed by Minister of Tourism and Entertainment Hon. Dr. Wykeham McNeill at a meeting which followed the second staging of the Rafter’s Rest Race on Wednesday January 13, 2016.

TEF Allocated J$180 Million to Heritage Sites in 2015

Kingston, Jamaica: January 15, 2016 – As part of efforts to boost heritage tourism the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF) allocated $180 million in funding for Jamaica’s heritage sites in 2015. This is in keeping with the agency’s mandate to create a richer tourism product and also preserve the nation's historical and cultural heritage for its citizens. Minister of Tourism and Entertainment, Hon. Dr.

$27.7 Million Refurbished Boston Beach Facility Handed Over

Portland, Jamaica: January 17, 2016 – The famous Boston Beach in Portland has been refurbished at a cost of $27.7 million and was officially reopened by Minister of Tourism and Entertainment, Hon. Dr. Wykeham McNeill, on Thursday, January 14, 2016. In his remarks Minister McNeill said that the rehabilitation of Boston Beach is a part of the National Beach Development Programme funded by the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF) and which is being implemented by the Tourism Product Development Company (TPDCo).

Minister McNeill Lauds Excellence of Hyatt Staff

MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica; February 3, 2016: Jamaican workers have been credited in large part for the success of the local tourism sector, which saw some 3.69 million visitors in 2015. Minister of Tourism and Entertainment, Hon. Dr. Wykeham McNeill, described them as the “the bedrock of our world-class tourism industry” as he gave the keynote address at yesterday’s inaugural Eminence Awards for Hyatt Ziva and Zilara staff in Rose Hall, Montego Bay.

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