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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Bartlett Calls for Continued Exchange of Ideas Post-Pandemic Tourism Recovery

KINGSTON, Jamaica; July 09, 2021: Minister of Tourism and Chair of the high-level Organization of American States (OAS) Working Group, Edmund Bartlett, is calling for continued exchange between Member States and industry to finalize a practical and dynamic recovery action plan, for the cruise and airline industries in the post-pandemic era.
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Zurich-Montego Bay Non-stop Flight Service a Game-Changer

KINGSTON, Jamaica; July 6, 2021: Last night’s (July 5) inaugural direct flight between the Swiss financial city, Zurich and Montego Bay, marks the introduction of a crucial airlift arrangement that has been hailed as a game-changer for Jamaica’s recovering tourism industry.
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New Flights into Jamaica Vital to Tourism Recovery Effort

KINGSTON, Jamaica; July 5, 2021: Minister of Tourism, Hon Edmund Bartlett has underscored that the addition of new flights into the island out of key markets is crucial to the tourism recovery effort, as Jamaica welcomed flights out of the Canadian and European travel markets yesterday.
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Minister Bartlett Projects Full Return of Cruise by October 2021

KINGSTON, Jamaica; July 2, 2021: Tourism Minister, Hon. Edmund Bartlett says based on current projections he expects the full return of the cruise industry in Jamaica between August and October of this year. This he notes is dependent on COVID-19 management and an increased percentage of vaccinated persons across the island.
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Tourism Transportation Sub-Sector to Benefit from $70 Million Loan Facility

KINGSTON, Jamaica; June 30, 2021: Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett has announced that the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Jamaica National Small Business Loans Ltd (JNSBL) to make $70 million accessible to operators in the tourism ground transportation sub-sector, who have been negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Jamaica and Saudi Arabia to Sign Document of Intent to Boost Air Connectivity

KINGSTON, Jamaica; June 25, 2021: Tourism Minister, Hon. Edmund Bartlett has announced that Jamaica and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia have agreed to sign a document of intent, to aid in boosting air connectivity between the Middle East and the Caribbean.
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