Government of Jamaica

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Minister of Tourism, Hon Edmund Bartlett (right) receives a welcome hug, one of the many he received on his tour of Royalton Negril on Tuesday, August 25, 2026. Management and staff were out in their numbers to greet the Minister at the restart of operations following a multi-million-dollar restoration in the wake of last year’s hurricane.

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Workers Joyful as Royalton Negril Reopens Amid Wider Tourism Recovery

NEGRIL, Jamaica; Thursday, August 27, 2026: Pulsating music, dance and colourful dresses marked the reopening of the Royalton Negril hotel and the return of nearly 1,000 workers to their jobs. The hotel reopened at 50 percent occupancy, which is expected to rise to 80 percent over the US Thanksgiving period, and is already sold out for Jamaica’s Heroes Weekend and Christmas. Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, was excited as he moved among staff members and was greeted with gleeful smiles as he toured the property to see firsthand its multi-million-dollar recovery from the impact of hurricane Melissa. “When I walked in, I saw that 960 workers were back on the job, and that by Thanksgiving, I'm told, the other 320 will be back, and we will have a full complement of 1,200 workers employed. That means families are now going to be more secure. It's coming back at the right time with back to school,” Minister Bartlett said.
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Jamaica Records 1.7 Million Visitors

DUBAI; United Arab Emirates; Wednesday May 8, 2024; Jamaica has recorded an impressive 1.7 million visitors as of May 7 of this year. Based on preliminary data, the island recorded 1,016,185 stopover arrivals and over 700,000 cruise passengers, earning roughly US$1.8 billion in revenue. This represents a 4.6% increase in stopover arrivals and a 23% increase in cruise passengers compared to the same period in 2023.
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Bartlett Welcomes Investor Confidence Signalled by Holiday Inn Acquisition

Montego Bay, Jamaica; Wednesday, May 8, 2024: Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett has expressed his excitement about the recent developments within the Jamaican tourism industry as Catalonia Hotels & Resorts yesterday (May 7) announced its purchase of the Holiday Inn Resort, Montego Bay from East Bay Management Company Limited, led by prominent Jamaican businessman Kevin Hendrickson. Minister Bartlett celebrated the move by Catalonia, a respected international hospitality brand, as a strong signal of confidence in Jamaica's tourism sector and a potential trigger for further investments.
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Minister of Tourism (C) pauses for a moment with (L-R) Dr. Emad Abuelanain, Associate Professor of Tourism - University of Khorfakkan, H.E Sylvestre Radegonde, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Tourism of Seychelles, Nicolas Torio, General Manager, voco Monaco Hotel - The Heart of Europe and moderator Mark Frary. Minister Bartlett was one of the key presenters for ‘The New Age of Island Tourism’ panel at Arabian Travel Market in Dubai yesterday.

Bartlett calls for more aggressive Human Capital Development to Future Proof Island Tourism

DUBAI; United Arab Emirates; Tuesday May 7, 2024: Minister of Tourism, Hon Edmund Bartlett is calling for a more aggressive push for human capital development which is critical to future proof tourism for small island states like Jamaica. The Minister made the call during ‘The New Age of Island Tourism’ panel at Arabian Travel Market in Dubai.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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