News Releases

KINGSTON, Jamaica; Tuesday, September 22, 2026: The Ministry of Tourism, its public bodies and tourism industry partners will place artificial intelligence (AI), digital transformation and the future of Jamaica’s tourism economy at the centre of Tourism Awareness Week (TAW) 2026, being observed from September 27 to October 3 under the theme “Digital Agenda and Artificial Intelligence to Redesign Tourism.” The theme mirrors the UN Tourism’s global theme for World Tourism Day, which will be celebrated on September 27. The week will examine how technology is reshaping the way visitors discover, plan and experience destinations, while highlighting Jamaica’s efforts to responsibly harness AI and digital tools to strengthen destination management, visitor facilitation, workforce development, resilience building and decision-making. Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, said the theme is particularly timely as technology continues to redefine global travel and tourism.

MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica; Monday, September 21, 2026: Minister of Tourism, Hon Edmund Bartlett is pressing for greater participation in the island’s four-year-old Tourism Workers Pension Scheme (TWPS). While pleased with its progress, he has set a bold new target of 50,000 members by 2028, with savings of over J$100 billion. While advocating for the 175,000 workers directly employed in the tourism industry to be enrolled over time in the social safety net that offers them human dignity, Minister Bartlett expressed disappointment at the response by some industry employers to the scheme and hinted that it could be made mandatory. He highlighted that there are currently just under 11,000 registered members with an estimated $6 billion in savings. Speaking at the TWPS annual general meeting at the Montego Bay Convention Centre recently, he told tourism employers: “When you contribute to your workers' pension, you are not losing money, you are gaining loyalty, productivity and retention.”

OCHO RIOS, Jamaica; Thursday, September 17, 2026: Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett has given further insights into transformative developments set to come onstream under his Ministry’s new Tourism 3.0 growth agenda. Speaking online from Dubai earlier this week, Minister Bartlett laid out the government’s plans for the industry to a large gathering of international and local journalists at a media breakfast during the 36th staging of the Jamaica Product Exchange (JAPEX) trade show. The event is being staged at the Moon Palace Jamaica resort in Ocho Rios. With several initiatives in the making, including adding roughly 20,000 new rooms within the next 10 to 15 years, Jamaica is pivoting to the next level of luxury tourism, while maintaining the highest standard of resilient systems. He says 5,000 of those new rooms are currently under construction.

RIYADH; Saudi Arabia; Monday September 14, 2026: Jamaica’s Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, has offered Saudi Arabia a “people-first” blueprint for achieving its ambitious target of creating One Million Careers through tourism under Vision 2030. Speaking on the panel “Delivering Saudi Vision Beyond 2030” at World Travel Market (WTM) Saudi Arabia on Thursday, Minister Bartlett said the success of Saudi Arabia’s mega tourism investments will ultimately depend on the people delivering the visitor experience. “The strongest destinations are not built on concrete alone. They are built on careers. On people. On dignity.” Describing the One Million Careers target as “a covenant with a generation,” Minister Bartlett positioned Jamaica, as a mature tourism destination, as a partner in helping Saudi Arabia build a sustainable tourism workforce.

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia; Monday September 14, 2026: Minister of Tourism, the Hon. Edmund Bartlett, has held engagements with Saudi Eksab to explore avenues for investment support targeted at Jamaica's small and micro tourism enterprises, as the island continues to broaden its network of international partners committed to inclusive tourism growth. The engagement forms part of the Minister's ongoing strategy to strengthen ties with Middle Eastern markets and investment partners, and to widen access to capital for local operators — including hotels, tour operators, craft vendors, and community tourism enterprises — who form the backbone of Jamaica's visitor economy. The preliminary discussions with the CEO of Saudi Eksab, Yazeed Saleh AIYahya, focused on potential financing instruments, technical assistance, or co-investment structures with an emphasis on ensuring that small tourism enterprises, often underserved by conventional financing, can access the capital and support needed to grow, modernise, and compete.

KINGSTON, Jamaica; Monday, September 7, 2026: Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, departed the island yesterday (September 6) for the Middle East, where he will lead strategic engagements in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and Dubai, United Arab Emirates, aimed at strengthening Jamaica’s presence in the Middle Eastern and global travel markets, advancing investment and trade opportunities, while positioning the destination for continued growth ahead of the winter tourist season. The visit forms part of the Jamaica Tourist Board’s (JTB) active participation in two major international travel trade shows: World Travel Market (WTM) Spotlight Riyadh from September 8 to 10 and the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) in Dubai from September 14 to 17. Minister Bartlett said the engagements come at an important time as Jamaica continues its recovery from Hurricane Melissa while maintaining strong demand for the destination.