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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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.
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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.
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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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Jamaica’s Cruise Tourism Set to Surge Despite Global Challenges

Kingston, Jamaica; Wednesday, May 1, 2024: Despite the ongoing challenges facing the global cruise industry, Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett has revealed that Jamaica’s tourism sector is poised for continued growth in this important area, while noting that cruise shipping recorded 1.26 million arrivals in 2023, 48.3% above 2022 figures.
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Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett (left) greets students of Irwin High School in St James on his arrival at the Montego Bay Convention Centre recently to give the keynote address at the latest staging of the Jamaica Youth Tourism Summit, hosted by Tourism Management students at the University of the West Indies (UWI) Western Jamaica Campus. The Irwin High students later delivered a medley of popular Jamaican cultural songs that was well received by the audience.

Minister Bartlett Challenges Youth to be Part of Tourism

MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica; Wednesday, April 24, 2024: Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, has urged young people “to become a part of the tourism machinery that is driving global development and economic growth.”
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Minister of Tourism, Hon Edmund Bartlett, (C) pauses for a photo opportunity with Victoria Harper, District Sales Manager-Northeast USA (L of Minister Bartlett), Carey Dennis, Business Development Officer - Northeast USA (R of Minister Bartlett), Fiona Fennell, Public Relations and Communications Manager, Jamaica Tourist Board, (back 3rd L) and the top Travel Advisors in the Northeast USA.

Travel Advisors Critical to Jamaica’s Tourism Growth

NEW YORK, US – April 16, 2024 – Minister of Tourism, Hon Edmund Bartlett has emphasized the critical role that travel advisors play in advancing the growth of Jamaica’s tourism. Speaking at a special luncheon to honour top travel advisors in Northeast America on April 13, the Minister reflected on the effort and dedication of these advisors during the pandemic.
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