Government of Jamaica

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CEO of MBJ Airports Limited, Shane Munroe (2nd left) confidently reassured Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett (3rd right) that the Sangster International Airport (SIA) is in full operation and ready for an anticipated busy winter tourist season when it opens on December 15, 2025.  Sharing in the moment are (from left) Chief Technical Director in the Ministry of Tourism, David Dobson; Jennifer Griffith, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Tourism and Christopher Jarrett, JHTA President.

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Tourism Sector Records Earnings of US$2.9 Billion Since January MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica; Wednesday, December 3, 2025: Minister of Tourism, Hon Edmund Bartlett wrapped up a recent Tourism Recovery Tour of Montego Bay with news that despite the impact of Hurricane Melissa last month, the destination area is on target to officially reopen for business on December 15, 2025. The announcement comes as Minister Bartlett also revealed that since the start of 2025 the sector has recorded tourism earnings of US$2.9 billion. With the official reopening deadline fast approaching, Minister Bartlett said he expects that the year's total earnings should reach approximately US$3.5 billion. This outlook is strengthened by a recent UN Tourism report which indicates that global tourism arrivals had surpassed 1.1 billion at the end of September, 2025. The UN Tourism Barometer projects increased growth continuing at a rate of 3 to 5 percent.

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Bartlett Remembers Robert Hendricks As A Tourism Pioneer

Montego Bay, Jamaica, Friday, December 29, 2023: Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett has paid tribute to the late Robert Hendricks, describing him as one of the pillars of Jamaica’s post-independence tourism industry. Mr. Hendricks was the owner of Caribbean World Enterprises, a destination management company in St. James.

Biggest Winter Tourist Season in Jamaica’s History Expected

MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica; Friday, December 15, 2023: Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett has welcomed today’s start of the 2023/24 winter tourist season with the expectation that for the first time in the industry’s history, there will be over one million stopover travellers for the season.

Bartlett Congratulates Sandals on Travel Weekly Readers’ Choice Awards

Kingston, Jamaica; Friday, December 15, 2023: Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, has extended heartfelt congratulations to Sandals Resorts International for their outstanding wins at the 21st annual Travel Weekly Readers' Choice Awards. The black-tie gala, held on December 13 at the American Museum of Natural History in New York, saw Sandals Resorts clinching two prestigious awards in the highly competitive Best in Hotel Chains category, securing top honours for Best in the Caribbean and Best All-Inclusive.
Minister of Tourism, Hon Edmund Bartlett (left) and President of Blue Diamond Resorts, Jordi Pelfort (centre) join Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness in cutting the ribbon to officially declare open the 352-room, Hideaway at Royalton Blue Waters, in Trelawny, on Wednesday, December 13, 2023.

Prime Minister Calls for Further Boost in Arrivals and Strengthening of Linkages

FALMOUTH, Trelawny; Thursday, December 14, 2023: Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness has challenged the Ministry of Tourism to work closely with tourism partners to significantly boost tourist arrivals and strengthen linkages with other sectors, in particular agriculture.

Jamaica Set to Record 4.1 million Visitors and US$4.3 Billion in Earnings for 2023

Kingston, Jamaica; Tuesday, December 12, 2023: With a record winter tourist season on the horizon, Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, has announced that the island is set to eclipse its growth projections for visitor arrivals and tourism earnings for 2023, based on the robust growth trajectory of Jamaica's vibrant tourism industry.

Jamaica Wins Tourism Awards in Dubai, as Bartlett Presents Resilience Awards

Kingston, Jamaica; Monday, December 4, 2023: Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, on the weekend received two major awards for Jamaica from the prestigious World Travel Awards, which is in its 30th year, at the landmark Burj Al Arab in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Minister Bartlett also as Founder and Chair of the Global Tourism Resilience and Crisis Management Centre (GTRCMC), a thinktank based in Jamaica, handed out five Global Tourism Resilience Awards to two major Middle East corporations and three countries.