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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Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett delivers Jamaica’s country statement during the Plenary session at the United Nations General Assembly’s (UNGA) High-Level Thematic Event on Tourism, being held as part of the UNGA’s first-ever Sustainability Week, from April 15-19, 2024.

Minister Bartlett Calls for a Concerted Global Effort to Boost Sustainable Tourism

New York, USA; Tuesday, April 16, 2024: Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, has called for a united international effort to bolster sustainable tourism practices as he addressed the United Nations General Assembly's (UNGA) first-ever Sustainability Week in New York, this morning.
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“Our Tourism Strategy Must Strengthen Linkages and Prevent Leakages” – Bartlett

Kingston, Jamaica; Friday, April 5, 2024: Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett has expressed that, in developing Jamaica’s new Tourism Strategy and Action Plan (TSAP), greater focus will have to be placed on strengthening linkages with other sectors and preventing economic leakages. He was speaking yesterday at the Spanish Court Hotel as the Ministry of Tourism, in collaboration with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), successfully concluded its islandwide series of tourism strategy consultation workshops, with the final session being held with stakeholders from the Kingston and St. Andrew destination area.
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Prepare to Meet the Needs of 5 Million Tourists in 2025

Kingston, Jamaica; Monday, March 25, 2024: With Jamaica on track to attract 5 million visitors by 2025, local manufacturers are being urged by Minister of Tourism, Hon Edmund Bartlett to put themselves in a position to meet the increasing needs of the sector for products and services.
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Bartlett to Promote Tourism Resilience at Sustainable Blue Economy Summit in Canada

Kingston, Jamaica; Monday, March 18, 2024: Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, is set to depart the island today (March 18) to participate in Eco-Canada's Sustainable Blue Economy Summit 2024 in Halifax, Canada, on Tuesday, March 19, 2024. Minister Bartlett will be a featured speaker and thought leader at the summit, highlighting the critical importance of the blue economy to building tourism resilience and sustainability.
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Minister of Tourism, Hon Edmund Bartlett (r) in discussion with Senior TUI Group executives (l-r) Mr. Thomas Ellerbeck, Head of Group Corporate and External Affairs, TUI Group and David Schelp, CEO TUI Markets and Airlines at their office in Berlin, Germany yesterday (March 7).

Bartlett Driving St. Thomas Development with TUI Group

BERLIN; Germany; Friday March 8, 2024: Minister of Tourism, Hon Edmund Bartlett is driving future tourism investment for St. Thomas which is gearing up to become Jamaica’s newest tourist destination. In a meeting with German leisure, travel and tourism company, TUI Group, it was confirmed that the company is exploring expanding its footprints in Jamaica and is showing signs of interest to invest in St. Thomas.
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Minister of Tourism, Hon Edmund Bartlett holds the Global Tourism Icon award presented to him yesterday at ITB Berlin by PATWA.

Jamaica’s Tourism Minister Named Global Icon at ITB Berlin

BERLIN; Germany; Thursday March 7, 2024: The Pacific Area Travel Writers Association (PATWA) has bestowed the prestigious title of Global Tourism Icon upon Minister of Tourism, Hon Edmund Bartlett, recognizing his outstanding contributions to the tourism industry.
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