Government of Jamaica

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News Releases

CEO of MBJ Airports Limited, Shane Munroe (2nd left) confidently reassured Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett (3rd right) that the Sangster International Airport (SIA) is in full operation and ready for an anticipated busy winter tourist season when it opens on December 15, 2025. Sharing in the moment are (from left) Chief Technical Director in the Ministry of Tourism, David Dobson; Jennifer Griffith, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Tourism and Christopher Jarrett, JHTA President.

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Montego Bay on Target for Official December 15 Reopening - Bartlett

Tourism Sector Records Earnings of US$2.9 Billion Since January MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica; Wednesday, December 3, 2025: Minister of Tourism, Hon Edmund Bartlett wrapped up a recent Tourism Recovery Tour of Montego Bay with news that despite the impact of Hurricane Melissa last month, the destination area is on target to officially reopen for business on December 15, 2025. The announcement comes as Minister Bartlett also revealed that since the start of 2025 the sector has recorded tourism earnings of US$2.9 billion. With the official reopening deadline fast approaching, Minister Bartlett said he expects that the year's total earnings should reach approximately US$3.5 billion. This outlook is strengthened by a recent UN Tourism report which indicates that global tourism arrivals had surpassed 1.1 billion at the end of September, 2025. The UN Tourism Barometer projects increased growth continuing at a rate of 3 to 5 percent.
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Bartlett Set to Speak at Major Global Citizen Forum in the UAE

KINGSTON, Jamaica; December 10, 2021: Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett has been invited by organizers of the Global Citizen Forum (GCF) to speak at the high-level event in his capacity as an “avid visionary with an exemplary commitment to inspiring a better world” and to share his mission with the GCF community of governments, international organizations, civil society and global citizens.
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Tourism Ministry to Implement Craft Trader Capacity Building Programme

KINGSTON, Jamaica; December 9, 2021: Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, has announced that his Ministry will implement a special Winter Tourist Season Capacity Building Support Programme for the island's craft traders. The Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF) is spearheading the initiative, which will provide grants to licensed craft vendors to assist them in preparing for the anticipated influx of tourists during the Winter Tourist Season, which begins on December 15.
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Jamaica’s Tourism Sector to be Restructured to Increase Retention of Visitor Spend

KINGSTON, Jamaica; December 3, 2021: Tourism Minister, Hon Edmund Bartlett has emphasised that Jamaica is restructuring the tourism industry to ensure that more of the earnings from the sector go to the small and medium tourism enterprises.
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Bartlett Elected New Chair of OAS Inter-American Committee on Tourism

KINGSTON, Jamaica; December 1, 2021: Tourism Minister, Hon. Edmund Bartlett was elected by acclamation as the new Chairman of the esteemed Organization of American States (OAS) Inter-American Committee on Tourism (CITUR), during a meeting of the Integral Council for Development (CIDI) yesterday.
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JCTI’s Successful Partnership with AHLEI to be Documented in Case Study

KINGSTON, Jamaica; December 1, 2021: Tourism Minister, Hon. Edmund Bartlett has revealed that the American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute (AHLEI), a vital partner of the Jamaica Centre of Tourism Innovation (JCTI), has agreed to publish a special training case study focusing on Jamaica. The decision was made because, since the partnership began four years ago, over 8,000 Jamaican tourism workers have received professional certification.
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Bartlett Welcomes the Return of Cruise to Montego Bay

KINGSTON, Jamaica; November 30, 2021: Tourism Minister Hon. Edmund Bartlett has emphasised that Jamaica’s tourism sector will cross a major threshold in its recovery tomorrow (December 1) with the Montego Bay Cruise Port set to welcome its first cruise ship since the re-opening of the local cruise industry.
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