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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Bartlett Emphasizes Workforce Innovation as Vital to Post-COVID-19 Industry Success

KINGSTON, Jamaica; March 06, 2023: Tourism Minister Hon. Edmund Bartlett says the tourism industry has undergone a significant transformation in the wake of COVID-19 and that its future success now depends on the ability of its workforce to create innovative and distinctive experiences.
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Jamaica Welcomes New Non-Stop Frontier Service From Three Gateways

MONTEGO BAY, JAMAICA, Feb. 27, 2023 – Continuing to expand gateways and ease of access to the island for US travelers, Jamaica welcomed new nonstop air service from Denver International Airport (DEN) to Montego Bay’s Sangster International Airport (MBJ) with Frontier Airlines. In keeping with Jamaica’s warm island culture, the inaugural flight was celebrated with traditional festivities upon departure from the airport and arrival to the island.
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Bartlett Calls on Tourism Stakeholders to Protect Valuable Blue Economy

Kingston, Jamaica; Tuesday, February 28, 2023: Recognizing the tremendous contribution of the ocean to tourism development, Minister of Tourism, Hon Edmund Bartlett has called on global tourism stakeholders to play a leading role in adopting and encouraging more sustainable values, attitudes and practices that will promote healthy ocean and marine systems.
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Historic Global Tourism Resilience Conference Ends With Major Declaration

Kingston, Jamaica; Monday, February 20, 2023: The historic Global Tourism Resilience Conference, which was held from February 15-17, 2023 at the University of the West Indies (UWI) Regional Headquarters in Kingston, Jamaica, ended with a major declaration recognizing the importance of building tourism resilience to safeguard the sustainability of the industry globally.
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Bartlett Calls for Resilience Fund to aid Tourism-Dependent Nations

KINGSTON, JAMAICA; February 17, 2023: As global tourism stakeholders and policymakers commemorate the first official Global Tourism Resilience Day, Minister of Tourism, Hon Edmund Bartlett today issued a call for the creation of a global tourism resilience fund to support tourism-dependent nations in periods of disruption.
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Tourism Key Driver of Economic Growth in Africa and The Caribbean

KINGSTON, JAMAICA; February 16, 2023: The need to ensure the resilience of tourism, given its importance as a key driver of economic growth, has been highlighted by Former Prime Minister and Statesman-in-Residence at the PJ Patterson Institute for Africa-Caribbean Advocacy, University of the West Indies (UWI), The Most Hon. Percival James Patterson.
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