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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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Up To 17 Flights A Day into Jamaica as American Airlines Sees Higher Demand

Dallas, Texas, USA; September 24, 2021: Executives of the world’s largest airline - American Airlines - told Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett and other senior Jamaican tourism officials in a meeting Thursday at their global headquarters in Dallas, Texas that the island nation will by December see as much as 17 nonstop flights per day, as demand for the destination rises.

Tourism Awareness Week to Focus on ‘Tourism for Inclusive Growth’

KINGSTON, Jamaica; September 23, 2021: The Ministry of Tourism, its public bodies and tourism partners, including the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA), will be highlighting the important role tourism plays in fostering inclusion and economic growth as they observe Tourism Awareness Week (TAW) 2021.

Southwest Airlines Says Jamaica’s Flight Operations Nearing Pre-Pandemic Levels

KINGSTON, Jamaica; September 23, 2021: Southwest Airlines executives on Wednesday (September 22) at their Dallas, Texas headquarters, informed Tourism Minister, Hon. Edmund Bartlett that their flight operations into Montego Bay in coming weeks and months are very close to 2019 pre-pandemic record levels, signalling increased demand for destination Jamaica by US travellers.

Bartlett to Meet With Travel Partners in Canada and the United States

KINGSTON, Jamaica; September 22, 2021: Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, along with other senior tourism officials, will be participating in a series of meetings in the island’s two largest source markets, the United States and Canada, beginning tomorrow, in an effort to increase arrivals to the destination as well as foster further investment in the tourism sector.

Bartlett Lauds Jakes Hotel on Accomplishing 100% Staff Vaccination

TREASURE BEACH, St Elizabeth; September 21, 2021: Minister of Tourism, Hon Edmund Bartlett is lauding the South Coast’s renowned resort complex, Jakes Hotel and Jack Sprat on achieving 100 percent staff take up of both doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.

Two Cruise Ships to call on Ocho Rios This Week

KINGSTON, Jamaica; September 21, 2021: Minister of Tourism, Hon Edmund Bartlett has revealed that two cruise ships will call on the Ocho Rios Port this week. This development the Minister underscores, is further evidence of the growing demand for destination Jamaica and the success of efforts to reopen the tourism sector.

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