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Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett (second right) leads a unifying group handshake with (from left) Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Tourism, Jennifer Griffith, outgoing Chairman of the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF), Hon. Godfrey Dyer and incoming TEF Chairman, Ryan Parkes at the Ministry’s One-day Strategic Visioning Retreat held last Wednesday at the AC Marriott Hotel.

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Ryan Parkes Named New TEF Chairman

Minister Bartlett Salutes Godfrey Dyer’s 14 Years of Exemplary Service KINGSTON, Jamaica; Thursday, April 30, 2026: Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, has named Ryan Parkes, Group Chief Executive Officer of Island Car Rentals and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Tourism Workers Pension Scheme (TWPS), as the new Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF), effective May 1, 2026. The appointment, recently approved by Cabinet, was announced at the Ministry’s One-day Strategic Visioning Retreat held on April 22 at the AC Marriott Hotel. In making the announcement, Minister Bartlett also paid tribute to the outgoing TEF Chairman, Hon. Godfrey Dyer, whose 14-year tenure at the helm of the TEF represents the longest record of chairmanship in the fund’s history and one of the longest across government.

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Minister Bartlett Names Special Task Force to Boost Vaccination of Tourism Workers

KINGSTON, Jamaica; August 19, 2021: Minister of Tourism, Edmund Bartlett has named a special task force to drive the process of vaccinating the island’s tourism workers, as part of efforts by the government to achieve herd immunity.

Strict Adherence to COVID-19 Protocols Key to Successful Return of Cruise

KINGSTON, Jamaica; August 17, 2021: Tourism Minister, Hon Edmund Bartlett says safeguarding the health and safety of the citizens of Jamaica, as well as visitors, remains the top priority as the island welcomed the successful return of cruise operations yesterday (August 16).

Cruise Passengers Delighted to Visit Jamaica after ‘Two-Year Wait’

OCHO RIOS, Jamaica; August 17, 2021: “It’s totally awesome, been waiting two years for this,” admitted Terry Davis as he perused the Jamaican landscape with his partner, Katy Peale who added: “It’s just wonderful to be out, to travel, to see beautiful places again, be together with friends and family; have fun.”

Jamaica Welcomes 1 Millionth Visitor Since Start of COVID-19 Pandemic

MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica; August 16, 2021: It was a tear-jerking surprise for one JetBlue passenger and her family as Jamaica’s tourism industry marked a significant milestone of welcoming one million stopover visitors in just 13 months, in the midst of a pandemic.

Cruise Resumes: Carnival Sunrise Calls at Ocho Rios on Monday

KINGSTON, Jamaica; August 13, 2021: Cruise operations will resume in Jamaica on Monday, August 16th, 2021. The Carnival Sunrise is scheduled to call at the Port of Ocho Rios and is the first cruise ship with international passengers to call at a Jamaican port since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. It will mark a major step in the phased reopening of Jamaica’s tourism sector, which has been adversely impacted by the global pandemic.

Minister Bartlett Urges Tourism Workers to get Vaccinated

KINGSTON, Jamaica; August 10, 2021: Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett has issued an impassioned appeal to unvaccinated tourism workers, including those in sub-sectors related to cruise shipping, to get vaccinated.

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