KINGSTON, Jamaica; Monday, June 1, 2026: Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, has departed the island for a series of high-level tourism engagements this month in New York and Spain aimed at strengthening Jamaica’s global tourism partnerships, advancing regional collaboration and reinforcing the country’s leadership in tourism resilience and sustainability.
The tourism minister is participating in the Caribbean Tourism Organization’s (CTO) Caribbean Week in New York from June 1-5, where he will join regional tourism leaders, travel trade partners, media representatives and industry stakeholders in a packed programme of leadership fora, business meetings, cultural showcases and networking events.
During the week, Minister Bartlett will participate in meetings of the CTO Council of Ministers and engage with key tourism stakeholders while supporting efforts by the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) and local tourism partners to promote Jamaica’s diverse tourism offerings in one of the island’s most important source markets. He is also scheduled to hold strategic meetings with executives of JetBlue Airways and En Voyage to explore opportunities for strengthening airlift, travel partnerships and market expansion.
“Caribbean Week provides an important platform for us to strengthen strategic partnerships, deepen engagement with the diaspora and continue positioning Jamaica as a leading tourist destination. It also allows us to advance discussions around multi-destination tourism, which remains critical to the future competitiveness of the region,” said Minister Bartlett.
Following the New York engagements, Minister Bartlett will travel to Toledo, Spain, to attend the 126th Session of the UN Tourism Executive Council from June 10-11.
The meeting will bring together global tourism leaders to discuss priority issues affecting the sector, including sustainable tourism development, innovation, destination management and resilience-building. Jamaica will also support discussions surrounding the proposed establishment of an Inter-Institutional Working Group on Tourism for Peacebuilding.
“As the most tourism-dependent region on earth, the Caribbean must continue to lead conversations around resilience, crisis management and sustainable growth. Jamaica’s experiences in navigating global disruptions, including the recovery efforts following Hurricane Melissa, continue to provide valuable lessons for the international community as we prepare for another hurricane season,” Minister Bartlett noted.
He added that participation in the Executive Council meeting will further strengthen Jamaica’s access to global best practices in heritage preservation, community tourism development and tourism innovation, all of which form key pillars of the country’s new Tourism 3.0 vision and strategy.
Minister Bartlett is scheduled to return to Jamaica on Saturday, June 13, 2026.
