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PS in the Ministry of Tourism, Jennifer Griffith (2nd right) engages in a lively discussion with Bishop Everton Lawrence of Faith Temple Assemblies of God (left), Junior Minister of Tourism and Montego Bay High School student, ThaeJadore Kerr (2nd left) and member of the Board of Directors for Jamaica Vacations (JAMVAC), Tricia-Ann Bicarie, following yesterday’s (September 27) Thanksgiving Church Service to mark World Tourism Day and kickstart Tourism Awareness Week 2026, which runs from Sept 27 – Oct 3.

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AI and Other Digital Technology Being Used to Transform Tourism Sector - Bartlett

Thanksgiving Church Service Kickstarts Tourism Awareness Week 2026 MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica; Monday, September 28, 2026: Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, has stressed that artificial intelligence and other digital technology are being used to strategically transform Jamaica’s tourism sector. This as the Ministry of Tourism, its public bodies and industry stakeholders, joined global partners in marking the annual UN-Tourism backed World Tourism Day (WTD), with a thanksgiving church service yesterday (September 27). The service also officially kick-started Tourism Awareness Week (TAW) 2026, being observed from September 27 to October 3, under the theme “Digital Agenda and Artificial Intelligence to Redesign Tourism,” in keeping with the theme selected by UN Tourism for WTD. In a message read by Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Tourism, Jennifer Griffith, Minister Bartlett said the ministry was “actively leveraging AI and digital technology to modernise the sector through key initiatives such as real-time concierges, deploying multilingual digital concierges, and structured content to optimise visitor bookings, as well as predictive analytics.”

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Global Resilience Centres in Jamaica and Kenya Sign MOU

KINGSTON, Jamaica; July 16, 2021: Minister of Tourism and Co-Chair of the Global Tourism Resilience and Crisis Management Centre (GTRCMC), Hon. Edmund Bartlett, and Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife, and Chairman of the GTRCMC – Eastern Africa, Hon. Najib Balala today (July 16) signed a ground-breaking memorandum of understanding (MOU) that will pave the way for the two Centres to work together to develop policy and conduct relevant research on destination preparedness, management and recovery.

Bartlett to Participate in African Tourism Recovery Summit

KINGSTON, Jamaica; July 13, 2021: Tourism Minister, Hon. Edmund Bartlett departed the island today (July 13) to participate in the highly anticipated Tourism Recovery Summit for African Ministers of Tourism, which will be held in Nairobi, Kenya, on Friday, July 16, 2021. Minister Bartlett has been invited to speak at the summit in his capacity as a well-respected global thought leader on tourism resilience and recovery.

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.

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.

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.

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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