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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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AI and Other Digital Technology Being Used to Transform Tourism Sector - Bartlett

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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GTRCMC to Strengthen Ties With Development Bank of Latin America (CAF)

KINGSTON, Jamaica; January 23, 2023: Plans are in high gear to strengthen ties between the Global Tourism Resilience and Crisis Management Centre (GTRCMC) and the Development Bank of Latin America (CAF). This follows a meeting with Minister of Tourism and Co-Chair of the GTRCMC, Hon Edmund Bartlett, CAF representatives and other Caribbean Ministers of Tourism, on the margins of the FITUR trade event in Spain.

Spanish Hoteliers Commit to Assist in Building 2,000 Homes for Hotel Workers

KINGSTON, Jamaica; January 23, 2023: As Jamaica’s tourism sector continues to boom, Spanish Hotel and Resort owners, with thousands of rooms in Jamaica highlighted labour, worker housing, agriculture and infrastructure as crucial focus areas for the sustainable growth of the sector in coming years at a breakfast meeting under the Inverotel umbrella, an association representing Spanish Hoteliers and Operators, with Tourism Minister, Edmund Bartlett and other tourism officials in Spain’s capital city, Madrid on Friday (January 20).

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.

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.

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.

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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