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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Global Resilience Centre and Mastercard Partner on Tourism Innovation

MADRID, Spain; January 19, 2023: In a major boost to its operations, the Global Tourism Resilience and Crisis Management Centre (GTRCMC) and Mastercard have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to strengthen cooperation on tourism innovation. The signing took place during FITUR, the largest tourism trade fair in Spain, between Co-Chair of the GTRCMC and Minister of Tourism, Hon Edmund Bartlett and Senior Executives of Mastercard.
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Prime Minister Holness to Headline Global Tourism Resilience Conference

Kingston, Jamaica; Thursday, January 19, 2023: Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, will make the headline address at the highly anticipated Global Tourism Resilience Conference being held from February 15-17, 2023 at the University of the West Indies (UWI) Regional Headquarters in Kingston, Jamaica. Holness will address a slew of government ministers from several nation states, policy advisors, international travel stakeholders, academics, executives of several international organizations, international business leaders among other key stakeholders.
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Minister Bartlett to Participate in Major Global Tourism Tradeshow, FITUR

KINGSTON, Jamaica; January 17, 2023: Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett has been invited participate in the series of high-level meetings and events in Spain, aimed at promoting sustainable tourism in the Caribbean. The events have been organized by CAF (Development Bank of Latin America) in alliance with the International Tourism Trade Fair (FITUR), being held in Madrid, Spain, from January 18 to 22, 2023. Minister Bartlett will also meet with several global tourism investors and executives in a bid to further boost the development of the sector.
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Bartlett Invites Private Sector Investment in Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee Festival

Kingston, Jamaica; Tuesday, January 10, 2023: Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett is urging players in the private sector to invest in the highly successful Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee Festival (JBMCF) to truly reap the economic benefits of the groundbreaking event.
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Jamaica to Partner with Diplomatic Community to Boost Gastronomy Tourism

Kingston, Jamaica; Friday, December 23, 2022: Efforts to bolster the continued development of Devon House as Jamaica's first Gastronomy Centre have received a major boost with the launch of an innovative initiative that will leverage partnerships with members of the diplomatic community to enhance gastronomy tourism locally and increase visitor arrivals.
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Burna Boy, Cardi B & Offset Boost Jamaica as #1 Location for Music Celebs

KINGSTON, Jamaica; Tuesday, December 20, 2022: Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett has lauded Nigerian International music star, Burna Boy for a stellar performance, which attracted thousands of locals and visitors to the island's capital, Kingston on December 18, 2022 and also welcomed the heightened exposure for Jamaica brought by American Music stars Cardi B and Offset who vacationed on the island recently.
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