Government of Jamaica

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Minister of Tourism, Found and Co-Chair off the Global Tourism Resilience and Crisis Management Centre, Hon Edmund Bartlett pauses for a photo opportunity with (L-R), Minister of Wildlife Conservation and Tourism, South Sudan, Hon Denay Chagor, Hon Rebecca Miano, EGH, Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife, Kenya, Hon Augusto Laurindo Kalikemala, Secretary of State, Minister of Tourism, Angola and Hon Kwete Lobo Valere, Charge d’etude, Minister of Tourism, Democratic Republic of Congo.

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NAIROBI; Kenya; February 19, 2026 – Jamaica’s Minister of Tourism, Hon Edmund Bartlett, on Monday, February 16, delivered a powerful call to action for the global tourism community to move ‘From Crisis to Transformation’ as he addressed the opening of the 4th Global Tourism Resilience Day Conference and Expo in Nairobi, Kenya. Hosted in partnership with the Government of Kenya and anchored by the Kenyatta University, the conference convened global tourism leaders, policymakers, academics, and private sector stakeholders to examine the urgent need for building resilience in an era of constant disruption. Speaking under the conference theme ‘From Crisis to Transformation’, Minister Bartlett outlined the overlapping global challenges reshaping tourism, including climate shocks, health-security threats, geopolitical instability, economic volatility, public safety concerns, cybercrime, and the growing threat of misinformation and disinformation.

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Minister Bartlett Travels to New York for High-Level UN Forum on Sustainable Development

Kingston, Jamaica; July 13, 2023: Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett will be travelling to the United Nations (UN) headquarters in New York City to attend a High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) on Sustainable Development. Minister Bartlett departs the island today, Thursday, July 13 and is expected to participate in the HLPF’s official side event on Economic, Social, and Environmental Sustainability in Tourism on Friday, July 14.

Jamaica Seeks To Regain South American Visitor Market

Kingston, Jamaica; Saturday, July 1, 2023: Jamaica has set its sights on regaining its share of the South American visitor market.

St. Thomas Being Positioned as the Next Frontier for Tourism Development in Jamaica

Kingston, Jamaica; Friday, June 30, 2023: The parish of St. Thomas is set to experience a rapid transformation of its tourism product with the surge of new developments on the way. Tourism Minister, Hon. Edmund Bartlett reinforced this while addressing residents in Hillside during the recently concluded islandwide Destination Assurance tour. Minister Bartlett stressed that once key pieces of infrastructure like the Southern Coastal Highway Improvement Project (SCHIP) and the new Morant Bay Urban Centre are in place, investments will begin to flow into the eastern parish.

Jamaica Elected to Serve on UNWTO Executive Council

Quito, Ecuador; Wednesday, June 28, 2023: Jamaica has been elected to serve on the United Nations World Tourism Organization’s (UNWTO) Executive Council for 2023-2027 alongside Colombia. The decision was made during the 68th UNWTO Commission for the Americas Meeting (CAM) currently underway in Quito, Ecuador.

Plans to Develop Ken Wright Cruise Ship Pier on the Heels of Impressive Winter Season

Kingston, Jamaica; Wednesday, June 28, 2023: Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett has indicated that discussions are underway for further development of the Ken Wright Cruise Ship Pier in Port Antonio, Portland. The pier experienced its busiest winter season with the arrival of 12 cruise ships, carrying over 5000 visitors and on average 43 yachts arriving per month including several mega yachts, last winter.

Bartlett Travels to Ecuador for UNWTO Commission for the Americas Meeting

Kingston, Jamaica; Monday, June 26, 2023: Tourism Minister, Hon. Edmund Bartlett departed the island over the weekend to join regional representatives at the 68th World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) Regional Commission for the Americas Meeting (CAM) & Seminar On Sustainable Investments being held in Ecuador’s capital city Quito from Tuesday, June 27 to Wednesday, June 28.