Government of Jamaica

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PS in the Ministry of Tourism, Jennifer Griffith (2nd right) engages in a lively discussion with Bishop Everton Lawrence of Faith Temple Assemblies of God (left), Junior Minister of Tourism and Montego Bay High School student, ThaeJadore Kerr (2nd left) and member of the Board of Directors for Jamaica Vacations (JAMVAC), Tricia-Ann Bicarie, following yesterday’s (September 27) Thanksgiving Church Service to mark World Tourism Day and kickstart Tourism Awareness Week 2026, which runs from Sept 27 – Oct 3.

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Thanksgiving Church Service Kickstarts Tourism Awareness Week 2026 MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica; Monday, September 28, 2026: Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, has stressed that artificial intelligence and other digital technology are being used to strategically transform Jamaica’s tourism sector. This as the Ministry of Tourism, its public bodies and industry stakeholders, joined global partners in marking the annual UN-Tourism backed World Tourism Day (WTD), with a thanksgiving church service yesterday (September 27). The service also officially kick-started Tourism Awareness Week (TAW) 2026, being observed from September 27 to October 3, under the theme “Digital Agenda and Artificial Intelligence to Redesign Tourism,” in keeping with the theme selected by UN Tourism for WTD. In a message read by Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Tourism, Jennifer Griffith, Minister Bartlett said the ministry was “actively leveraging AI and digital technology to modernise the sector through key initiatives such as real-time concierges, deploying multilingual digital concierges, and structured content to optimise visitor bookings, as well as predictive analytics.”

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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.

Over 1 Million Airline Seats Secured for Winter Out of US Gateways

Kingston, Jamaica; Thursday, November 30, 2023: Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, today announced that a record 1.05 million airline seats have been secured from nearly six thousand flights coming into Jamaica out of the United States, during the upcoming winter season.

Minister Bartlett En Route to Paris for 173rd BIE General Assembly

Kingston, Jamaica; Monday, November 27, 2023: Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, is set to represent Jamaica at the much anticipated 173rd General Assembly of the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) in Paris, France. The BIE is the Intergovernmental Organization overseeing and regulating international exhibitions lasting more than three weeks, including World Expos, Specialized Expos, Horticultural Expos, and the Triennale di Milano.

Tourism Diplomacy a Gateway to Sustainable Investments

Kingston, Jamaica; Monday, November 20, 2023: As Jamaica continues its robust economic recovery from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, has again emphasized the importance of tourism diplomacy as a key driver in boosting investment in Jamaica’s tourism product and attracting sustainable growth opportunities to the country. Minister Bartlett made the disclosure following the recent inaugural CARICOM-Saudi Arabia Summit in Riyadh, where he played a pivotal role in leading discussions around resilience building and sustainability.
Tourism Minister, Hon. Edmund Bartlett (c) greets the Chief Executive Officer of Lopesan Group, Francisco Lopez (3rd r) at the Jamaica Stand, World Travel Market in London, UK, yesterday. He is joined by Senior Advisor and Strategist, Delano Seiveright (2nd r); Director General of the Lopesan Hotel Division, Jose Alba (r);  President of LS Invest AG (IFA Hotels), Santiago de Armas (3rd l); CEO of the Hospiten Group, Pedro Luis Cobiella Beauvais (l) and another Spanish private sector executive (2nd l).

Lopesan to Develop 1000-Room Mega Resort in Jamaica

LONDON, United Kingdom; Wednesday, November 8, 2023: A major international hotel group, Lopesan, with over 17,000 hotel rooms across Europe, Asia and the Caribbean, called on Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett and his team yesterday (November 7) at the World Travel Market (WTM) in London, United Kingdom, to announce that they are urgently seeking to develop a 1,000-room luxury resort on the island.