Government of Jamaica

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 Seated, Minister of Tourism, Hon Edmund Bartlett (C) with Roberta Iannacito-Provenzano, Provost and Vice-President, Academic, Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) (L) and Cynthia Holmes, Dean, Ted Rogers School of Management, TMU. Sharing in the moment are standing L-R, Donovan White, Director of Tourism, Donnette Chin-Loy, Chancellor TMU and Angella Bennett, Regional Director, Canada. The occasion was the tour of the University to discuss tourism opportunities and partnership.

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TORONTO, Canada; Thursday October 8, 2025: Minister of Tourism, Hon Edmund Bartlett, has announced that initial discussions have started to have the Jamaica Centre of Tourism Innovation (JCTI) and Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) collaborate to develop comprehensive training and certification programs for tourism professionals across Jamaica. This groundbreaking partnership will aim to strengthen the capabilities of Jamaica's tourism workforce by providing world-class professional development opportunities that align with international industry standards. The collaboration will leverage TMU's extensive expertise in hospitality and tourism education alongside JCTI's deep understanding of the Caribbean tourism landscape. “This partnership represents a significant milestone in our commitment to building a highly skilled, globally competitive tourism workforce,” said Minister of Tourism, Hon Edmund Bartlett. “By working with Toronto Metropolitan University, we're bringing internationally recognized training standards to Jamaica while ensuring our programs reflect the unique strengths of Caribbean hospitality.”

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Miss Nigeria and Miss India to Visit Jamaica in March 2020

KINGSTON, Jamaica; December 23, 2019: Tourism Minister, Hon. Edmund Bartlett has announced that Miss World finalists from Nigeria and India have accepted the Government’s invitation to visit Jamaica, following their enthusiastic display of support for the crowning of Jamaica’s Toni-Ann Singh, as Miss World 2019.

Bartlett Calls for Kingston to be the Premier Hub of the Northern Caribbean

KINGSTON, Jamaica; December 18, 2019: Tourism Minister, Hon Edmund Bartlett says that the projected expansion projects in Kingston, as well as those currently underway are a signal of the City’s potential to be the primary hub of the Northern Caribbean.

J$250 Million to start Tourism Workers’ Pension Fund in January, says Bartlett

NEGRIL, Westmoreland; Wednesday December 18, 2019: Minister of Tourism, Hon Edmund Bartlett says J$250 Million will be used to ensure the start of the highly anticipated Tourism Workers’ Pension Scheme next month. This forms part of the government’s effort to seed the fund to meet the deadline of a January 2020 start date for the pension scheme.

Bartlett to Invite Miss World Finalists to Visit Jamaica

MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica; December 16, 2019: Tourism Minister, Hon. Edmund Bartlett says that Jamaica will be extending invitations to Miss World finalists Miss Nigeria, Nyekachi Douglas and Miss India, Suman Rao, following Jamaica’s Toni-Ann Singh’s historic win on Saturday.

Bartlett to Conclude Discussions for the Establishment of the First Satellite Centre in Kenya

KINGSTON, Jamaica; December 09, 2019: Tourism Minister, Hon Edmund Bartlett is currently in Kenya to conclude discussions for the establishment of the first Satellite Centre for the Global Tourism Resilience and Crisis Management Centre (GTRCMC), at the Kenyatta University.

MSC Meraviglia to Bring 50,000 Cruise Passengers to Ocho Rios

OCHO RIOS, St. Ann; December 3, 2019: Tourism Minister, Hon. Edmund Bartlett says Ocho Rios is gearing up to welcome 50,000 cruise ship passengers courtesy of the cruise line MSC Meraviglia.