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.

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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.

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Bartlett Encourages Jamaicans to Join the Lucrative Tourism Value Chain

Kingston, Jamaica; Monday, May 6, 2024: Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett is urging Jamaicans to seize the multitude of opportunities available within the tourism sector, emphasizing the industry’s potential to generate significant economic benefits for the entire nation.

Minister Bartlett to Participate in Arabian Travel Market Trade Show in Dubai

Kingston, Jamaica; Friday, May 3, 2024: Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett departed the island today for Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE), to participate in the highly anticipated Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2024 trade show. He will be joined by Director of Tourism, Donovan White and other representatives from the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) for the prestigious event, which runs from May 6-9, 2024.

Strong Air Connectivity Fuels Tourism Boom

KINGSTON, Jamaica; Friday, May 3, 2024: Some 12 international and regional airlines, including carriers flying from over 200 gateways out of the US alone into Jamaica, have contributed to “impressive growth” in activities at the Sangster and Norman Manley International airports. Collectively they generated US$200.28 million or J$30 billion in revenue from a record-breaking 6.96 million passengers traversing them in 2023.

Investment in Tourism on the Rise

KINGSTON, Jamaica; Thursday, May 2, 2024: Investment in Jamaica’s tourism industry has soared to new heights with existing hotel companies expanding their stake while new investors are in line to build new properties.

Tourism Workers Pension Scheme Generates $1.6 Billion in Contributions in 2 Years

Kingston, Jamaica; Thursday, May 2, 2024: Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett has announced a significant milestone in the Ministry’s mission to “weave a safety net” for Jamaica’s invaluable tourism workers, as the ground-breaking Tourism Workers Pension Scheme (TWPS), launched in January 2022, has surpassed 7,000 contributing members, recording $1.63 billion in contributions as of April 2024.

Minister Bartlett Reports Significant Growth in Tourism Arrivals & Earnings

KINGSTON, Jamaica; Wednesday, May 1, 2024: Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett is reporting significant growth in the island’s tourism sector with preliminary gross earnings of US$4.38 billion, a 9.6% increase over fiscal year 2022/23 and “the largest revenue flow from tourism in the history of the tourism industry.”

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