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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Jamaicans Must Embrace a Culture of Service Excellence

KINGSTON, Jamaica; October 5, 2022: Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett has called on Jamaicans to embrace a culture of delivering excellent customer service, noting that it is the driving force behind successful businesses and industries globally.
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JAMAICA EARNS US 5.7 BILLION SINCE REOPENING

SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO, October 3, 2022 – Minister of Tourism, Hon Edmund has announced that Jamaica has earned US 5.7 billion since reopening its borders in June 2020. The data also shows that the island welcomed over five million visitors over the same period. The announcement follows the destination’s strong tourism recovery efforts that saw its best summer ever according to arrivals figures.
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Experts Say Opportunities In Tourism Limitless

MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica, Monday, October 3, 2022: Entrepreneurs with an interest in the tourism industry have been urged not to limit themselves but be open to exploring the limitless opportunities that present themselves for profitable investment.
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Minister Bartlett to Participate in CTM Public-Private Panel Discussion

KINGSTON, Jamaica; October 3, 2022: Tourism Minister, Hon. Edmund Bartlett will today (October 3) join other Caribbean Ministers of Tourism and key industry players from the region in a private-public partnership panel to discuss intra-Caribbean air connectivity, multi-destination marketing, and public policies for labour and employment, among other industry business matters. The panel discussion is one of the signature events of the 40th edition of the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association’s (CHTA) Caribbean Travel Marketplace, being held from October 3-5 in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
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Tourism Innovation Incubator to Support Jamaican Innovators

Kingston, Jamaica; September 30, 2022: Jamaica’s tourism sector is set to benefit from an injection of fresh innovative ideas for products and services through the introduction of the much-anticipated Tourism Innovation Incubator, which was launched by the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF) today (September 30).
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TAW Youth Forum Points Youths to Opportunities in Tourism

MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica; September 29, 2022: Secondary and tertiary level students from across the island received well needed information on the many opportunities available in the tourism sector during an engaging Tourism Awareness Week Youth Forum, held yesterday (September 28) at the Montego Bay Convention Centre, St. James. Many voiced their support for tourism and have indicated their desire to become more involved in the process of - “Rethinking Tourism,” which is the theme for the week.
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