Fourth Staging of Tourism Linkages Speed Networking Event a Major Success

MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica; Thursday, March 30, 2017: The tourism sector and allied industries have been put on alert to prepare for 4.2 million visitors this year. The target represents a 5 percent increase on the 3.84 million tourists the country received in 2016.

Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett has pointed to the opportunities that the increased arrivals will mean for the various stakeholders, in particular income generation and the creation of more jobs.

Giving the opening address at the fourth Tourism Linkages Speed Networking Event held at the Hilton Rose Hall Resort & Spa, on March 29, 2017 Minister Bartlett reiterated the need to retain more of the tourism dollar on island by increasing the use of products made in Jamaica.

Outlining what he referred to as the production or acquisition cost and consumption of the experience offered by the industry, Mr. Bartlett said, “our people who have been concerned that tourism is not contributing enough to the economy are not understanding this consumption/production relationship, and if they do understand, they are perhaps in denial because the moving parts are in evidence in tourism from start to finish.”

Noting the relationship between retaining and leakage of the dollar, Mr. Bartlett said it was true that tourism was a net earner of foreign exchange “because the production costs can be so high and the input which forms the consumption side can be so remote from the destination that you end up having to import the input on the consumption side.”

He said the Tourism Linkages Speed Networking was a vehicle to give producers entry into the industry bringing producers face to face with buyers as the start of a bigger programme.

Minister Bartlett disclosed that “later on this year we are going to bring the owners of hotels, the main procurement officers, the senior vice presidents that do the buying to come at a big trade fair that we want to have at the Montego Bay Convention Centre to ensure that we have not only an interface of both sides of the equation but that you the producers know in fact what the buyers want.”

Chairman of the Tourism Linkages Council, Adam Stewart said this year’s Speed Networking event had a total of 172 representatives from 98 supplier companies and 79 buyer representatives from 55 tourism entities. He said having so many persons attending from across the country was “sending a signal that tourism is alive and well” and of a willingness to “buy Jamaican first.”

He said all participants were there for the same goal of building Jamaica, keep foreign exchange in the country “and the more transactions take place the more successful this event will be not only in terms of how it is staged but to each of the participants.”

The Tourism Linkages Speed Networking event is a partnership between the Ministry of Tourism’s Tourism Linkages Network, the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA), Jamaica Manufacturers Association, Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) and JAMPRO.

JHTA President, Omar Robinson said through this platform hoteliers were being exposed to the full breadth of offerings of local partners and were able to benefit from a rich exchange of ideas, contacts and product and service details.

“This goes to the core of one of the missions of the JHTA and the Tourism Linkages Council to have tourism through backwards and forward linkages be a vehicle for growth in our economy. Tourism will therefore serve as the tide that raises all ships,” he said.

JMA President, Metry Seaga said five years ago this coming together was unheard of as “the relationship between manufacturing, tourism and agriculture was very acrimonious and today, thanks to the leadership at all levels cross cutting administrations, we have come to a place where we are now family.”

He said it felt good to have all parties standing together, moving in one direction and now speaking with one voice “and we recognize that it is important for the country.”

KINGSTON, Jamaica; March 28, 2017: The rich history, culture and cuisine of the Blue Mountain region were on full display, as the Gastronomy Network of the Ministry of Tourism hosted the soft launch of the Blue Mountain Culinary Tour on Sunday March 26, 2017.

The Jamaica Blue Mountain Tour will be one of the first projects of the Gastronomy Network, which was created with the intention to foster the growth of culinary tourism as a product niche for Jamaica.

The tour currently features 15 participating eateries and attractions such as Café Blue, The Gap Café, RafJam Bed and Breakfast and Old Tavern Coffee Estate – with more expected to come on board before the trail officially begins later this year.

Speaking at the launch ceremony at Belcour Lodge in Irish Town, Minister of Tourism, Hon Edmund Bartlett indicated that the concept was designed to not only highlight the gastronomic product in the region, but to also directly benefit community members and tour operators who conduct business within the area.

“We are trying to bring the wealth of tourism into the communities that are in the Blue Mountain Area. The concept is a low density, low impact, soft tourism which drives a different type of demographic. It will bring a mixture of nature and creativity with additional efforts on our parts to include a little bit of hard infrastructure work, because we have to do the tours along nice roadways,” said Minister Bartlett. 

Much to the delight of culinary aficionados the tour will feature unique eateries, from both the Eastern and Western end of the world-renowned Blue Mountain Range, with tours highlighting coffee farm experiences, traditional local cuisine, and Jamaican fusion cuisine.

Chairman of the Gastronomy Network, Nicola Madden-Grieg, also shared that the network has informed tour operators that the tour is customizable.

“Tour guides have the option to combine the culinary experiences with stops at places such as New Castle, Heritage Gardens, and Holywell. Individuals as well as tour operators may also choose to have their own itineraries including stops at area bars and food stalls,” said Madden-Grieg.

During the soft launch of the Jamaica Blue Mountain Culinary Tour, the Ministry also disclosed that the Gastronomy Network will also be hosting the Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee Festival in March 2018.

The three-day event, which is in the preliminary planning stages, will take place in the Blue Mountain region featuring activities such as training and development seminars for coffee farmers; coffee farm and factory tours; culinary tours and experiences; and a coffee exhibition. International coffee buyers will also be invited to attend the festival.

Minister Bartlett shared that the strategic focus on Gastronomy in Jamaica is not coincidental as it is an important part of his Ministry’s growth agenda. It is also his hope that the project will be so successful that it can be used as a prototype for the member states of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).

“We are launching today this coffee tour but we are going beyond that because I want to build a coffee experience that will become part of the gastronomy prototype of the UNWTO. So that we will be able to bring thousands of visitors annually to destination Jamaica to experience the gastronomy prototypes as we utilize various elements of it that are endemic to different geographic areas,” said Minister Bartlett.

The soft launch included stops to Belcour Lodge, Craighton Estates, Strawberry Hill and Café Blue. Guests, who included tourism officials, local tour guides and members of the media, got a sample of what to expect on the culinary tour – with history and sampling of the gastronomic product in the area being the primary focus of the all-day event.

Spring Gardens Primary & Infant was victorious in the inaugural Tourism Product Development Company (TPDCo) “Fi Wi Falmouth” Tourism Quiz competition, beating Immanuel Success Preparatory & Kindergarten School in an exciting face off held recently at the Trelawny Parish Library. The 3 rounds match saw questions from thirteen subject areas including the history of Trelawny, Spanish, Tourism Awareness, Tourism Organization, Civics, Mathematics.  The score at the end of the match was 35-28 in favour of Spring Gardens.

In his address during the Awards ceremony which followed, TPDCO Board Director Evat Bloomfield, speaking on behalf of the Minister of Tourism, Hon.  Edmund Bartlett congratulated both teams for their valiant efforts and teamwork displayed in the competition.  He highlighted the importance of the protection of the tourism industry and encouraged students to play their part in preserving the strong heritage of Falmouth and by extension Trelawny.  According to the Minister, “the knowledge and the skills that you have honed through this competition are attributes you should consider keeping for life; teamwork; critical thinking and time management are just a few.” 

The students were elated as their list of impressive prizes included day passes at the Royalton White Sands Hotel;  tour and lunch on the Allure of the Seas Cruise Ship, courtesy of Falmouth Jamaica Land Company; tour of the Glistening Waters Attraction; Rose Hall Great House; Falmouth Heritage Walk; Braemar Trolley Tours; Paint Ball Jamaica; Island Routes River Bumpkin Tour, Petting Zoo at the winning school by Swamp Safari; goody baskets from Caribbean Producers Jamaica; plus cash prizes, the TPDCo trophy and replicas for both schools and participants respectively.

In attendance to cheer the children on were Custos of Trelawny, Hon. Paul Muschett and Mrs. Sheona Muschett; Mayor of Falmouth His Worship Colin Gager; President of the Trelawny Chamber of Commerce Mr. Delroy Christie; Regional Librarian Merlene Walker, sponsors and other specially invited guests.  

The “Fi Wi Falmouth” quiz is a part of a public education campaign launched by TPDCo in the parish of Trelawny in 2016.  The campaign seeks to raise awareness of the impact and importance of tourism to Jamaica, improve the visitor experience and engender pride in the parish.

KINGSTON, Jamaica; March 13, 2017: With Jamaica welcoming just over 20,000 German tourists last year, Tourism Minister Hon. Edmund Bartlett has mandated the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) and key Tourism officials to double that number to 50,000 German tourist arrivals into the island by 2020. 

He made the point while meeting with the leadership of the world's largest tour company TUI Group in Berlin, Germany. Minister Bartlett noted that the Tourism Ministry and the JTB will be working closely with TUI to achieve the target. TUI Group brought over 150,000 tourists to Jamaica's shores last year. 

TUI Group is the largest leisure, travel and tourism company in the world, and owns travel agencies, hotels, airlines, cruise ships and retail stores. The group owns six European airlines - the largest holiday fleet in Europe - and nine tour operators based in Europe. TUI is jointly listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange and the London Stock Exchange as a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index.

TUI Senior Board Director David Burling noting Jamaica's important position in the company's growth plans over the next 5 years, highlighted the island's "premium destination" with a very rich culture and high repeat business. He urged the Minister to increase Jamaica's hotel room count in order to effectively secure more business and growth in coming years. 

Meanwhile, Bartlett highlighted a stream of hotel investments that are now completed or in phases of construction to assist with rising demand. 

Bartlett who was joined in Germany by Director of Tourism, Paul Pennicook; Senior Advisor and Senior Communications Strategist, Delano Seiveright and other senior tourism officials announced earlier in the week that one of Europe’s leading airlines, Eurowings, a subsidiary of one of the world’s biggest airline companies, Lufthansa, will begin operating twice weekly scheduled service between Germany’s largest populated metropolitan region and Montego Bay beginning July 3 this year.

The scheduled flights will operate every Monday and Friday from Cologne/Bonn, and will use their Airbus 330 aircraft which has 310 seats. Flights will run from July 3 through to October 27, 2017 and will bring over 10,000 seats from Germany for the summer. Already Eurowings has informed Bartlett and his team that they will extend the service into the winter with those seats opening up for sale within days. 

The new scheduled service will complement weekly charter services operated by German air carrier Condor from the German cities of Frankfurt and Munich into Montego Bay. 

Seiveright noted that Germany is being surgically targeted by Bartlett as he ramps up efforts to boost Jamaica’s tourism sector and contribute more significantly to the country’s growth and development. 

Bartlett and his team recently left Berlin, Germany after participating in the largest tourism tradeshow in the world, ITB Berlin and the International Hotel Investment Forum. 

Bartlett following a meeting with Jamaica's Honorary Consuls from around Germany and wider  Europe at Jamaica’s Embassy in Berlin,  signalled his intention to appoint several of Jamaica’s Honorary Consuls in Europe as, unpaid, Tourism Advisors to his office, as he works on significantly boosting market share for tourists to Jamaica from several key European countries including Germany.

He will complete the move following consultations with Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Minister, Hon. Kamina Johnson-Smith.

Bartlett also participated in a special press briefing to boost publicity worldwide for the United Nations World Tourism Organization’s (UNWTO) historic Global Conference on Building Partnerships for Sustainable Tourism for Development, which has now seen the World Bank Group come on board as partners. The event, which is being hosted by Jamaica, will run from November 27 to 29, 2017, at the Montego Bay Convention Centre.

MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica; March 6, 2017: Massage Therapist, Simone Folkes of Sandals Royal Plantation and Couples San Souci won the coveted National Champion awards for 2016 in the individual and organization categories respectively, as the Ministry of Tourism on the weekend rolled out the red carpet for the return of the Tourism Service Excellence Awards. The programme is spearheaded by the Tourism Product Development Company (TPDCo).

The winners were selected from a group of 9 of the island’s top tourism workers and 10 leading organizations who vied for the awards for excellent service delivery under the Tourism Service Excellence Programme (TSEP). The ballroom of the Hyatt Ziva Resort & Spa was the location of the gala event, which returned after a four-year absence.

“This means so much to me I am absolutely elated. I won’t stop here; I’ve wanted to do my best but now that I am recognized I want to do even more,” said a beaming Simone.

General Manager of Couples Sans Souci, Pierre Battaglia, who himself was named the 2011 individual champion in the last staging of the event, was equally proud that his hotel had won the organization award. “It means a lot and is proof of the hard work that my staff puts in day after day to achieve our goals and to all our guests who come to visit us every year at the resort to experience our exclusive services,” he expressed.

In lauding the honourees and semi-finalists Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett exalted workers in the tourism sector as the treasure and pride of the industry and the foremost reason that visitors keep coming to Jamaica.

He added that “TSEP is an integral part of our efforts to boost our tourism sector's competitiveness by motivating stakeholders to create compelling experiences and adopt best practices. As we celebrate the achievements of our tourism industry, we are mindful that we must give credit where credit is due. Our success as a leading tourist destination would not be possible without the hard work and commitment of our world class tourism workers.”

The enthusiasm of being awarded was also shared by regional winners. In the individual category, Wilfred Chambers, a tour guide at the Bob Marley Museum, won for Kingston while Scuba Diving Instructor at Negril Adventure Divers, Glenville Edwards won for Negril. In Montego Bay the regional winner was Customs Officer, Winsome Wynter, while Simone Folkes took the honours for Ocho Rios and Lifeguard at Trident Hotel, Arthur Thaxter, won for Port Antonio.

Among organizations, the regional winners were Jamaica Pegasus for Kingston, Couples Sans Souci for Ocho Rios, Sunset at the Palms Resort was named champion for Negril, Trident Hotel won for Port Antonio, Appleton Estate Rum Tour won for the South Coast and VIP Attractions took the prize for Montego Bay.

The Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF) was the main sponsor of the event. Other major sponsors include Caribbean Airlines, Sandals, FLOW, EXIM Bank, Finn Partners and the RJR Gleaner Communications Group with prizes being provided by several other partner entities.

KINGSTON, Jamaica; February 26, 2017: Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett has revealed that he will be providing well needed assistance to stakeholders in Trench Town as they seek to make improvements to the area to position it as the premier community-tourism destination in Kingston.

The Minister, who addressed the stakeholders during a tour of the community recently, shared that he also intends to place Trench Town high on the agenda when he meets with representatives from major cruise lines, in an effort to bring more visitors to the city.

“When I went to the Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association to speak to them about cruise development in Jamaica, particularly in Kingston, the first question they asked was ‘what does Kingston have?’ I told them I will come back to you with the details of Kingston’s many offerings and in the interim; you prepare to send us more ships. So I am going back to see them at the global Seatrade conference in March and Trench Town will be included in my report,” he said.

Among the many plans stakeholders have for redevelopment is the creation of fine and applied art pieces across the town, by renowned artist Scheed Cole, CEO of 360 Recycle-Manufacturing Company.

“A lot can take place in Trench Town because of the availability of space. Collie Smith Drive, for example has an island in the middle, which I think can become an attraction. We can create a green space and culinary park, with art being the centrepiece within this space. When you apply art to something it has the ability to take your breath away,” said Cole.

Nora Blake, CEO of JaMIN Tours, a new tour company based in Trench Town, shared that it is also their intention to reposition the way the town has been marketed by making it the gateway to the city.

 “Kingston’s renewal and repositioning as a tourism centre is made alive with community initiatives such as the ones being developed in Trench Town. You are preparing yourself for the experiences that the visitor wants. What Trench Town has succeeded in doing is to bring people, ideas and material value together at a price. Therefore, Trench Town is an experience,” said Minister Bartlett.

The Minister explained that Trench Town exemplified much of what he believes makes tourism in Jamaica special. He therefore urged other community tourism enterprises to follow suit, so that visitors can have a positive and unforgettable experience when they visit our shores.

“You represent an opportunity for replication across Jamaica. You represent something that tourism seeks to foster as it tries to be the agent for transformation, poverty alleviation and creative renewal,” he said.

High on the agenda of the Ministry to improve city tourism in Kingston is changing the perception that people have about the capital, while also assiduously working on the restoration and creation of key infrastructure. This, as the Ministry intends to increase the number of cruise arrivals to the port of Kingston in the upcoming months.

KINGSTON, Jamaica; February 14, 2017:  Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett has announced that Kingston is set to welcome more cruise ships, with the next vessel set to dock in the first quarter of 2017. While addressing the Kingston and St. Andrew Corporation (KSAC) today (February 14, 2017), he shared that the Ministry of Tourism has placed great emphasis on expanding cruise tourism in the island, with special focus being placed on the restoration of the ports of Kingston and its environs.

“We are going all out to work with the cruise lines. I just came back from Miami, where over the weekend we met with representatives of one of the largest cruise-lines in the world, talking about Kingston and the restoration of cruise activity in the ports of Kingston,” shared Minister Bartlett.

Last December, Kingston welcomed its largest cruise ship ever, the MS Monarch which is operated by Pullmantur, the largest Spanish Cruise line.  The visit was also historic because it was the first time the island had mega-ships in the main ports in Kingston, Falmouth, Montego Bay and Ocho Rios at the same time.

“I am so excited to announce that the MS Monarch will be adding Kingston to its itinerary for the next two years. That is great news for us because we have always felt that destination Kingston has a particular allurement, charm and value of its own that is deserving of recognition,” said the Minister.

The Minister also disclosed that the port of Kingston is set to welcome another cruise-ship, the Noble Caledonia’s MS Serenissima, on March 5, 2017.  

As the Ministry of Tourism continues to position Kingston as a major tourist destination, the Minister shared that more work needs to be done to not only improve the perception that people have about Kingston, but to also work on the restoration and creation of key infrastructure.

“There are not many things that we need to do to revitalize the cruise and tourism industry in Kingston, except for the important investment in creating a port that is suitable for cruise, which is a discussion we are currently having. The Norman Manley International Airport is also being positioned to be a central entrepôt to give the confluence that we require for cruise, air and sea activities,” said Minister Bartlett.

He also urged the councillors to make it their point of duty to assist the Ministry of Security to ensure that the Kingston sees a notable reduction in criminal activities. This as some cruise companies need the assurance that cruise in Kingston will be safe, secure and seamless, before adding Kingston to their itineraries.

The Minister also shared that restorative work will be carried out in Kingston under Spruce Up Jamaica programme to enhance the tourism offerings in the city.

Some J$40 million has been allocated to the building of entranceways to Kingston and J$10 million has been allocated to the restoration of Ward Theatre. Money has also been allocated to develop cemeteries, the Victoria Craft Market and provide economic support through affordable loans to Small and Medium Tourism Enterprises (SMTEs).

MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica; February 14, 2017: Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett has lauded legendary musician and actor, Jimmy Cliff (Mr. James Ezekiel Chambers, OM) for his sterling contribution to Jamaican film and music, describing him as “both a trailblazer and influencer; an enduring voice who has helped to make little Jamaica a cultural heavy weight on the world stage.”

Minister Bartlett made his comments as Jimmy Cliff received IRIEF FM’s inaugural Lifetime Achievement Award at the Somerton All-Age School recently. The award was presented to the renowned entertainer “for his exceptional work as a songwriter, artiste and activist for social justice.”

Mr. Bartlett said, “when we find our own who have done so well to achieve international notoriety we must be able to work and walk with them as they continue the journey over time and to find their place in the pantheon of history so that we can be proud that we lived and they lived among us.”

In his glowing tribute, Minister Bartlett said, “when you go across the world Jimmy Cliff pops up not just as a reference of another human being, but a powerful representation of iconoclastic achievement from a little country that like a boat on a big ocean packs waves that are so mighty to be called tsunami.”

Jimmy Cliff, who has been singing since recording his first single, ”Hurricane Hattie” at age 14, and is credited with introducing Bob Marley to his producer, has been performing internationally for some 55 years.

Underscoring that entertainment is an area in which Jamaica is a world beater, Minister Bartlett said “the Ministry of Tourism and its agencies are committed to fostering the continued development of the entertainment industry and the integration of entertainment into our tourism product.”

He added that entertainment tourism was one of the main niche areas being developed in order to diversify the tourism product and tap into new markets. “This is precisely why we are placing special focus on developing entertainment tourism as part of our growth strategy,” he said.

With the Ministry’s Sports and Entertainment Network actively seeking to capitalize on the tremendous potential of entertainment, Minister Bartlett said “cultural ambassadors like Jimmy Cliff make our work that much easier because through your illustrious achievements Jamaica has inarguably become known as the mecca of Reggae music and a focal point for popular culture.”

Thousands of adults and children, including a number of visitors, packed into the 75-year-old Somerton All-Ago school building and crowded the school yard for the historic IRIE FM event in which several members of the political directorate, scholars, musicians, singers and dancers paid tribute to Jimmy Cliff for his achievement and the influence he has had on their lives.

KINGSTON, Jamaica; February 13, 2017: Years prior to the Cuban Revolution in 1959 that saw the communist Fidel Castro regime come to power, Cruise ships from Miami regularly stopped in Cuba and Jamaica as part of their northern Caribbean itinerary. Now with the easing of US/Cuba relations just under 60 years following the revolution and prompting by Jamaica’s Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett, Cruise executives are excited about the prospects for a surge in interest for the once charmed route which will prove popular and continue the upward trajectory of Jamaica’s cruise arrival numbers.  

The development comes as Norwegian Cruise Lines (NCL), after receiving approval for a one day per week sailing into Havana, Cuba decided to drop Grand Bahama in the Bahamas from its scheduled four-day voyage, sending jitters throughout the tourism industry there. Interestingly, Swiss based cruise giant MSC Cruises has been promoting its itineraries spanning, Havana, Cuba; Montego Bay, Jamaica; Cayman Islands and Cozumel, Mexico this year. Meanwhile, the Cypriot-owned 1,200-passenger Celestyal Crystal cruise ship has been sailing seven-day Cuba itineraries year-round on a people-to-people cruise and land itinerary out of Montego Bay and Havana.  

The Jamaica, Cuba cruise itinerary was just one of the outcomes of a meeting between Bartlett recently with the new President of the Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association’s (FCCA) and President of Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCCL), the world's second-largest cruise line operator, Mr. Adam Goldstein in Miami, Florida. Mr. Bartlett was accompanied by Director of Tourism, Mr. Paul Pennicook and Delano Seiveright, Senior Advisor.

“The visit was buoyed by strong growth in Jamaica’s tourism sector last year, with cruise arrivals surging 5.5 percent ahead of the previous year resulting in 1.66 million visitors and a 8.1 percent growth in Cruise passenger earnings totalling US$ 148.6 million or just about J$19 billion.”, Bartlett pointed out.

It also comes on the heels of a historic visit in December by Prime Minister Andrew Holness, Minister Bartlett and other tourism officials at the headquarters of Carnival Corporation, the world’s largest cruise operator in Miami.

Senior Advisor, Delano Seiveright in addition to discussions on Cuba, noted that the Tourism Minister also, “focused on ways to facilitate the hiring of more Jamaican crew-members on cruise lines, improving the guest experience at the Falmouth Port in Trelawny, increased utilization of Ports of Calls like Kingston and Port Antonio and new destinations like Black River, St. Elizabeth as well as ways to strengthen the relationship between cruise lines and the Jamaican government.”

Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCCL) head honcho Adam Goldstein noted that Jamaica is without a doubt one of the best cruise destinations in the world with incredible potential for global greatness given the rich culture, accommodating personality of Jamaicans and diverse attraction offerings. He commended Bartlett for his hands on, visionary and expert led approach to tourism development on the island. He however urged the Government to move decisively at centralizing the management of the cruise operations as a means of better focusing resources, quickly fixing problems, improve security and allowing for more substantive growth and a broader spread of the benefits to the Jamaican people.

Underlying Jamaica’s growing cruise industry, the island currently hosts six of the largest cruise ships in the world. Currently, the Port of Falmouth is hosting the three largest cruise ships in the world – Harmony of the Seas, Allure of the Seas, and Oasis of the Seas, which are all Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines (RCCL) vessels. In the meantime, Ocho Rios is hosting the Norwegian Epic, the Norwegian Pearl and the Carnival Vista. A fourth ship in the RCCL’s Oasis luxury fleet, which is under construction and set to replace Harmony of the Seas as the biggest ship in the world, is expected to be added to Jamaica’s itinerary in November 2018.

Seiveright noted that Bartlett, reiterated important targets set for the overall tourism sector aiming to secure 5 million visitors by 2021, while also generating US$5 billion in tourism earnings, increase the total direct jobs to 125,000 and add 15,000 new Hotel rooms.

“So far the latest figures show that for 2016, Jamaica recorded total tourist arrivals, stopover and cruise combined, of 3.84 million, 4 percent above the previous year.” – Seiveright.

KINGSTON, Jamaica; January 19, 2017: Tourism Minister, Hon. Edmund Bartlett today (January 19, 2017) signed an agreement with representatives of the Excellence Group of Luxury Hotels and Resorts to build two hotels in Oyster Bay, Trelawny, which will add over 700 rooms to the island’s room-stock.

The Excellence Group, which is renowned for its award-winning luxurious properties, plans to begin construction on their first property in Jamaica in February 2017.

The first hotel will be built at a cost of US$110 million. It will have some 325-rooms and is expected to open its doors to guests in the first half of 2018. The second property, which will have some 400 rooms, will open at a later date.

The Minister signed the agreement with the CEO of the Excellence Group, Antonio Montaner – Ferrer and the group’s Country Manager for Jamaica, Rafael Matas. The Signing took place at Jamaica’s booth at FITUR, which is largest International Tourism Trade Fair for inbound and outbound Ibero American markets, now underway in Spain.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Minister Bartlett expressed that “investment in Jamaica’s tourism sector is booming. We welcome this new project as it marks the entry of yet another major brand to the sector. The entry of the Excellence Group to the Jamaican landscape will certainly broaden the options available to visitors and help to enhance our product offering. I am pleased that both hotels will be luxury properties as the first hotel will be branded as an Excellence property while the second will be operated under the group’s top brand – Finest.”

In welcoming the move Minister Bartlett said “the current investment being made in our country is proof of the confidence the Excellence Group and our many other investors have in Jamaica.  As we continue on our path to meet the objectives outlined in our growth agenda, this development project will aid in our quest to secure 15,000 new rooms in the next five years.”

He emphasized that “another key component of our growth strategy is securing new investments, so we welcome the entry of yet another investor and encourage other players both local and international to invest in Jamaica’s vibrant tourism sector.”