News Releases

KINGSTON, Jamaica; Wednesday, October 8, 2025: Minister of Tourism, Edmund Bartlett, says Jamaica is aiming to welcome 600,000 Canadian visitors annually and generate US$750 million in tourism earnings by 2030. The goal comes as the destination experiences a 22 per cent increase in Canadian airlift capacity for the upcoming winter season. The new key performance indicators (KPIs) were announced during the minister’s address at the Edith Baxter Memorial Award, which recognises individuals who have made a substantial contribution towards the positive advancement of Jamaica’s tourism industry. “Canada represents one of our most important and fastest-growing source markets,” said Bartlett. “The substantial increase in airlift capacity this winter demonstrates the strong confidence our airline partners have in Jamaica’s appeal to Canadian travellers. We are committed to building on this momentum to achieve our 2030 vision of 600,000 Canadian visitors and three-quarters of a billion dollars in tourism revenue.”

KINGSTON, Jamaica; Tuesday, October 7, 2025: Jamaica has secured several prestigious awards on the international stage with the destination winning 45 major awards at the 2025 World Travel Awards Caribbean & North America Gala Ceremony, held on October 4 in St. Lucia. Jamaica captured 29 regional awards and 16 national prizes. Jamaica was again named the Caribbean’s Leading Destination for the 19th consecutive year with the Jamaica Tourist Board winning the Caribbean’s Leading Tourist Board award for the 17th year in a row. The country was also named the Caribbean’s Leading Cruise Destination 2025, with the Port of Ocho Rios being named the Caribbean’s Leading Cruise Port 2025 and the Port of Montego Bay being named the Caribbean’s Leading Home Port 2025. Jamaica was also named the Caribbean's Leading Family Travel Destination 2025.

LONDON, United Kingdom; Friday, October 3, 2025: Jamaica’s Minister of Tourism, the Honourable Edmund Bartlett, is targeting an ambitious new goal of attracting 500,000 visitors from the United Kingdom (UK) by 2030, underscoring the country’s strategic commitment to strengthening its position in one of its most important source markets. Speaking at the platinum celebration awards during Jamaica Travel Market, Minister Bartlett outlined the government’s forward-looking vision to significantly boost arrivals from the UK – a market that has shown steady recovery and growth following the global pandemic. “The United Kingdom holds a deeply rooted connection with Jamaica, through our shared history, culture, and vibrant diaspora,” said Minister Bartlett. “Our goal of reaching half a million UK visitors annually by 2030 is bold but also reflects the growing appetite among British travellers for the authentic Jamaican experience.”

MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica; Wednesday, October 1, 2025: The Ministry of Tourism and its public bodies have recorded another major milestone in the drive to foster human capital development, as the Jamaica Centre for Tourism Innovation (JCTI), a division of the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF), has facilitated the certification of two locally-trained senior chefs, currently employed by one of the island’s leading hotel chains. The JCTI works in partnership with international accreditation bodies, such as the American Hotel and Lodging Educational Institute (AHLEI) to certify trained tourism workers, with the latest being two employees from the Hyatt Ziva and Hyatt Zilara resorts in Montego Bay who came out on top of the JCTI sous chef development programme.

KINGSTON, Jamaica; Tuesday, September 30, 2025: Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, left the island today (September 30) for London, England, where he will participate in a series of high-level meetings and events at Jamaica Travel Market 2025, which runs from October 1–3, 2025. The Jamaica Travel Market is a dedicated travel trade event organized by the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) to facilitate business between Jamaican tourism suppliers and international buyers, fostering growth and investment in Jamaica's vibrant tourism sector. Minister Bartlett’s schedule in London will include back-to-back B2B meetings with buyers and Jamaican suppliers on Thursday, October 2, before joining partners for a networking luncheon. Later that afternoon, he will hold talks with Jules Ugo, CEO of W Communications, Jamaica’s UK-based public relations agency.

MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica; Tuesday, September 30, 2025: Promoting Jamaica as a ‘love destination,’ the Ministry of Tourism is seeking to increase the island’s share of the lucrative global wedding services market, which is projected to reach US$368 billion by 2030. With destination weddings comprising one of the fastest growing segments and increasing by 40% over the last five years, Minister of Tourism, Hon Edmund Bartlett is looking to professional wedding planners for support stressing that “it is time for us to start positioning ourselves to secure a bigger share of that US$368 billion.” He wants weddings to double their current contribution to arrivals and earnings in Jamaica. Minister Bartlett outlined that Jamaica is targeting 8 million visitors by 2030 and being “confident that we are well positioned so to do..."