Government of Jamaica

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Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett (2nd right) engages in a vibrant discussion with (from left) Heidi Clarke, Executive Director of the Sandals Foundation, Dr. Kerry-Ann McKenzie, Consultant Pediatrician at the Falmouth Public General Hospital and Karen Zacca, Operations Director at the Sandals Foundation, following Tuesday’s (August 11) launch of Island Challenge Jamaica held at the AC Marriott Hotel in Kingston.

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Tourism Minister urges businesses to embed community development in their operations as Sandals Foundation brings Island Challenge home KINGSTON, Jamaica; Friday, August 14, 2026: Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, is calling for a fundamental redefinition of corporate social responsibility (CSR) in Jamaica’s tourism industry, urging businesses to move beyond charitable giving and become more deeply embedded in the development and resilience of the communities in which they operate. Minister Bartlett made the call on Tuesday (August 11) while delivering the main address at the launch of the Sandals Foundation Island Challenge Jamaica 2026, under the theme “Tourism Doing Good,” at the AC Marriott Hotel in Kingston. The four-day endurance event, scheduled for October 2–5, will take approximately 30 UK athletes, along with local and international partners, on a route spanning Trelawny, St. Ann, St. Mary and St. Andrew. Participants will run, kayak, trek and hike across Jamaica’s landscapes while seeking to raise £100,000 to strengthen neonatal and paediatric healthcare services, including at the Falmouth Public General Hospital.

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Bartlett Explores Partnership with Chemonics to Mark 3rd Global Tourism Resilience Day

Kingston, Jamaica; Friday, June 7, 2024: On the margins of the Resilience and Innovation Summit now underway in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, met with senior representatives of leading global sustainable development firm, Chemonics International, in a bid to forge a major partnership for the upcoming Global Tourism Resilience Day in 2025.

Jamaica Sees Record 2 Million Visitors To-Date In 2024

Kingston, Jamaica, June 6, 2024 – Jamaica has welcomed a record two million visitors thus far in 2024, more than ever reported during the period of January to May. Further solidifying its position as one of the world’s leading island travel destinations, Jamaica’s final tourism data for 2023 also notes a record-breaking 4.1 million visitors and 25.5% year-over-year increase in total visitation compared to 2022.

Minister Bartlett For Global Summit and UN Tourism Executive Council Meeting

Kingston, Jamaica; Tuesday, June 4, 2024: Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, departed the island today (June 4) for Europe where he will engage in several high-level activities aimed at bolstering Jamaica’s position in the global tourism arena. Minister Bartlett will be participating in two significant events: The Resilience and Innovation Summit being hosted by the Global Travel and Tourism Resilience Council in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the 121st UN Tourism Executive Council Meeting in Barcelona, Spain.

Jamaica Hosts Inaugural CHTA Responsible Tourism Day Activities

KINGSTON, Jamaica; Wednesday, May 29, 2024: Jamaica was chosen by the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) as the location for the inauguration of a new initiative aimed at promoting sustainable tourism, as a new feature of its flagship Caribbean Travel Marketplace tradeshow. The 42nd staging of the trade event was hosted in Jamaica from May 20-23, 2024.

CHTA Caribbean Travel Marketplace A Resounding Success

MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica; Monday, May 27, 2024: Jamaica’s hosting of the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association’s (CHTA) flagship sales event, Caribbean Travel Marketplace 42, from May 20- 23, has been hailed as “a resounding success” by Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett.

Tourism Investment Drive Still on Track

MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica; Wednesday, May 22, 2024: Minister of Tourism, Hon Edmund Bartlett has outlined that Jamaica is currently experiencing an unprecedented surge in tourism infrastructural development and visitor arrivals, which has laid the foundation for the Ministry to achieve its goal of attracting 5 million visitors in 5 years, earning the country US$5 billion by 2025.