SPAIN; Madrid; Wednesday January 24, 2024: Minister of Tourism, Hon Edmund Bartlett met with the owners of the Pinero Group, which owns the prominent Spanish Hotel chain, Bahia Principe, in Madrid, Spain to discuss the status of their multifaceted resort development in St. Ann. The Group owns the Bahia Principe Grand Jamaica, Jamaica’s largest hotel, with 1,350 rooms.

The meeting follows a formal presentation of their development plans to the Prime Minister, the Most Honourable Andrew Holness and other officials last year, at the Office of the Prime Minister. The project will be one of the largest resort and real estate projects ever executed in the Caribbean and Latin America.

The Minister was joined by Encarna Pinero, CEO of the Pinero Group and senior tourism officials, John Lynch, Chairman of the Jamaica Tourist Board, Delano Seiveright, Senior Advisor and Strategist and Fiona Fennell, Public Relations and Communications Manager, Jamaica Tourist Board. The project represents a massive expansion of their existing Bahia Principe product in St. Ann to include new Hotels, Villas, a PGA certified 18-hole golf course, a state-of-the-art fisherman’s village, farms, modern employee residences, educational facilities among other facilities and amenities. 

“This is a mega development that will increase Jamaica’s tourism offerings to attract more visitors to the island. It will be a great mixture of hotel rooms and Villas that will create over 14,000 short term and long-term jobs, which will mean more economic and social benefits for the country and at the community level,” said Minister Bartlett.

“The expansion will be a game changer for Jamaica’s tourism and help us be prepared for the influx of visitors expected to the island. It also shows the confidence that our hotel partners have in the destination,” added Mr. Bartlett.

Bartlett is leading a small delegation of Tourism officials at FITUR 2024, in Madrid, Spain, a major tourism fair with 8,000 exhibitors, 130 countries represented and over 300,000 attendees. It represents one of the largest gatherings of tourism professionals globally and is the leading fair for Latin America's receptive and issuing markets.

Kingston, Jamaica; Monday, January 22, 2024: Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett today (January 22) departed the island for Madrid, Spain, to attend the eagerly awaited annual international travel and tourism tradeshow, FITUR. Slated for January 24-28, 2024, FITUR stands as Latin America's leading travel trade fair, attracting tourism professionals from across the globe.

“FITUR marks the first major appointment of the year for tourism professionals, particularly those from Latin America and the Caribbean. It's a forum to forge connections, share insights, and explore new opportunities in the dynamic tourism arena,” noted the tourism minister. 

Over the next few days, Minister Bartlett's itinerary in Spain will be packed with key engagements. He will lead the Jamaican delegation in a high-level meeting with the CEO of Grupo Pinero, operators of the Bahia Principe hotels and resorts, Mrs. Encarna Pinero, along with senior members of her team, Ms. Paqui Benitez and Jaimie Sitjar.

Following this, Minister Bartlett will attend the FITUR opening ceremony, which will be presided over by Their Majesties King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia of Spain. The Minister will then attend a special reception for the ministers of tourism at the Fairgrounds as well as a meet & greet session for international tourism ministers.

Mr. Bartlett is also slated to attend a welcome reception, which will be hosted by Secretary-General of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), Zurab Pololikashvili and the Executive President of CAF - Development Bank of Latin America, Sergio Díaz-Granados.

Reflecting on the significance of FITUR, Minister Bartlett highlighted the many investment and networking opportunities it presents, adding, “Jamaica anticipates over 3 million stopover visitors in 2024, and FITUR provides an invaluable platform to showcase our offerings, strengthen partnerships, and explore avenues for sustainable growth.”

During his visit, Minister Bartlett will meet with representatives of Edelweiss Air, a Swiss airline, and Sunwing Vacations from Canada. 

Minister Bartlett will also participate in several engagements with Spanish media, including an interview with RNE, a Spanish public radio station; Cinco Dias, a key financial newspaper and ABC Natural, a leading newspaper on the environment and sustainability. He will also participate in a special interview with Onda Cero – Gente Viajera, a prominent radio travel program in Spain.

Additionally, the Minister will participate in an interview with Hola Viajes, discussing Destination Jamaica's nature, food, culture, and lifestyle. Minister Bartlett will also attend the Inverotel Traditional Work Breakfast, marking the final day of his engagements in the southwestern European country. Mr. Bartlett is set to return to the island on Saturday, January 27, 2024.

Kingston, Jamaica; Friday, January 19, 2024: Following a productive courtesy call between the Ministry of Tourism and World Bank representatives on Tuesday (January 16), Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett has reported steady strides regarding the Ministry’s Multi-Dimensional Impact Assessment Study, which will evaluate the economic impact as well as other implications of adding 20,000 new hotel rooms over the next 10 years.

The meeting, led by World Bank Country Director for the Caribbean, Lilia Burunciuc, saw the team providing insights into their ongoing study titled “Future of Tourism in the Caribbean.” This study aims to empower regional markets to enhance competitiveness, improve connectivity, and overcome barriers to tourism growth. 

Expressing optimism about the Ministry’s progress on its research targets, Minister Bartlett said, “We are well advanced with getting the consultants on board; we’ve sent out requests for proposals, we’ve had responses, and the team will shortly be evaluating the responses to determine who the consultants will be to begin this project.” The procurement process for the study closes on January 25.

The World Bank team expressed keen interest in contributing to environmental and sustainability analyses for the study. They commended Jamaica for its robust data collection efforts, significantly aiding their research.

Minister Bartlett noted, “This critical assessment is being undertaken to make sure that this expansion is inclusive and that more and more of the benefits and revenue of the industry stay in our country.”

He further explained the expected impact, adding, “We expect over 3 million stopover visitors, which will result in a one-to-one visitor-to-citizen ratio. This means that the flow-through effect of tourism as an economic activity will now be felt by the average Jamaican.”

The tourism minister stressed the importance of supplying the demand that tourism brings, which includes building the capacity to produce more agricultural goods, more manufacturing goods, provide more services, and create more unique experiences for visitors. He underscored that the study aims to enable stakeholders to understand the resources required to make these changes happen.

Minister Bartlett concluded, “When we bring 20,000 new rooms to Jamaica, what will it mean? That is the basis of the Multi-Dimensional Impact Assessment.”

The World Bank’s “Future of Tourism in the Caribbean” study, initiated in response to COVID-19, recognizes tourism as the main driver of the economic future of the Caribbean. Jamaica’s Multi-Dimensional Impact Assessment Study aligns with this vision, assessing the sector's carrying capacity, required skillsets, labour market arrangements, and the overall impact on the country’s economy.

Kingston, Jamaica; Thursday, January 18, 2024: A special delegation from the United States, led by Ambassador Rena Bitter, the US State Department’s Assistant Secretary for Consular Affairs, alongside His Excellency Nick Perry, US Ambassador to Jamaica, and Sara Minkara, Special Advisor on International Disability Rights, held high-level discussions with Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett as they explored accessible tourism opportunities in the post-COVID-19 era.

The delegation paid a courtesy call on Minister Bartlett, at his New Kingston offices yesterday (January 17). The session saw a vibrant discussion on how the country can capitalize on the prospects for growth in inclusive and accessible tourism. Ambassador Bitter commended Jamaica's strides in this area, citing the significant legislative progress that was made with the Disabilities Act coming into effect in 2022. Minister Bartlett reiterated the importance of catering to this market segment, emphasizing that it holds the potential not only to create opportunities for small hoteliers but also to contribute significantly to the diversification of Jamaica's tourism product.

In this regard, Minister Bartlett said: "Promoting inclusive and accessible tourism is not just about fulfilling a moral obligation; it is a strategic move for Jamaica. This market presents us with a unique opportunity to achieve our ambitious targets for visitor arrivals and tourism earnings. Strengthening partnerships with the United States, especially in areas related to accessible tourism, will help us create a more diverse and welcoming destination for all."

Highlighting the considerable spending power of travellers with disabilities, Ms. Minkara stressed the need for serious consideration of disabled individuals' needs in the development of the Ministry’s Destination Assurance Framework and Strategy (DAFS).

Minister Bartlett also acknowledged the vital role of the United States as a source market, with 73% of stopover visitors to Jamaica originating from the US. The tourism minister added that in 2023 alone, approximately 2.1 million Americans visited Jamaica as stopover visitors, underscoring the significance of the bilateral relationship between both countries. 

The meeting, attended by representatives from the US Embassy and the Ministry, provided an opportunity for Minister Bartlett to present signed copies of his recently launched book, "Thought Leadership on Tourism, Resilience and Sustainability in the 21st Century."

Kingston, Jamaica; Friday, January 12, 2024: Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett is leading a collaborative effort between public and private sector stakeholders to build capacity and systematically address the pain points in the tourism industry. 

Minister Bartlett made the disclosure following a meeting with industry partners, which he led in conjunction with the president of the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA), Robin Russell, yesterday (January 11) at the AC Marriott Hotel.  

Minister Bartlett outlined that the four focus areas assigned to the working groups will be Public Order in Tourism Spaces, Visitor Facilitation, Tourism Housing and Human Resources. 

Noting the resilience and growth demonstrated by Jamaica’s tourism sector over the last year, Minister Bartlett said: “In 2023 we welcomed a total of 4.15 million visitors, which is a substantial 24% increase over the previous year. This reflects the remarkable appeal of Destination Jamaica.”

He added that: “This includes 2,886,064 stopover visitors, which marks a 16.4% rise over the figure recorded in 2022. Additionally, there were 1,265,586 cruise arrivals recorded for the year, representing a whopping 48.3% increase over the number of cruise passengers that visited the island in 2022.” The Minister added that: “This surge in visitors generated foreign exchange earnings of US$4.27 billion, which represents an 18% increase over the revenue secured in 2022.”

“Our impressive growth figures underscore the effectiveness of our tourism strategies. However, our commitment must be to propel the industry even higher,” the Minister said.

He stressed that with Jamaica anticipating some 3 million stopover visitors in 2024, boosting capacity is key moving forward. “Our success in 2023 is a testament to the enduring partnerships between the public and private sectors. Moving ahead, we are resolute in building the necessary capacity to meet the heightened demand projected for 2024 and beyond,” Mr. Bartlett noted.

Minister Bartlett further explained that in direct response to the escalating targets and increased demand, yesterday’s meeting focused on strategic measures to strengthen the industry going forward. 

On the issue of human capital development and the shortage of workers, Minister Bartlett highlighted the ongoing work of the task force which was formed to examine labour market arrangements in tourism. “The goal is to enhance the industry's workforce, fostering a stronger and better sense of appreciation for the invaluable contributions of our workers,” he expressed. 

Emphasizing the importance of improving the airport experience to facilitate a seamless arrival for visitors, Minister Bartlett said during the meeting stakeholders examined ways to enhance overall visitor satisfaction and maintain the positive image of Destination Jamaica.

Montego Bay, Jamaica, Friday, December 29, 2023: Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett has paid tribute to the late Robert Hendricks, describing him as one of the pillars of Jamaica’s post-independence tourism industry. Mr. Hendricks was the owner of Caribbean World Enterprises, a destination management company in St. James.

“Robert was one of those notable Jamaicans who had an abiding faith in his country and was a firm believer in the contribution tourism could make to its development and the economic life of the people,” said Minister Bartlett in tribute to Mr. Hendricks on learning of his death at his home in St. James today.

Minister Bartlett noted that Mr. Hendricks’ contributions to tourism accumulatively spanned over 40 years and that he was a trailblazer in all aspects of the word.

“Robert Hendricks was a firm believer in Jamaicans owning a share of the tourism pie and being involved at senior management levels. He demonstrated this as an entrepreneur in the tours, ground transportation and entertainment subsectors of the industry,” recalled Minister Bartlett.

He started out as the owner of Lollypop on the Beach in Sandy Bay, Hanover, and then went on to set up Caribbean World Enterprises in St. James. His entrepreneurial spirit saw him partnering in the establishment of Aquasol Beach Complex and then joining ground and tour operating company, Tropical Tours in sales and marketing.

Mr. Hendricks played key roles in several enterprises, displaying his skills as a natural salesman. “He actually revolutionized marketing and sales, pioneering the introduction of your guides and opening up thinking to different levels of marketing concepts that have been emulated by others in the tourism industry.”

Among his attributes, this tourism stalwart was a fast talker but did so with sincerity and could be relied upon for his stick-to-itiveness.

Offering condolences to Mr. Hendricks’ family and his colleagues, Minister Bartlett noted that he will be sincerely missed for his personality and what he brought to bear in tourism.

MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica; Friday, December 15, 2023: Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett has welcomed today’s start of the 2023/24 winter tourist season with the expectation that for the first time in the industry’s history, there will be over one million stopover travellers for the season.

Speaking at the Sangster International Airport (SIA) this morning (December 15), Minister Bartlett said: “It is going to be the biggest winter tourist season in the history of Jamaica. We have already secured 1.5 million seats across the markets of the world and assuming a very low 75% load factor from the airlines coming in we will be in excess of one million stopover arrivals for the season.”

Furthermore, Shane Munroe, Chief Executive Officer of MBJ Airports, which manages the facility, said SIA was expected to reach the milestone of 5 million passengers passing through it in one year for the first time.

Minister Bartlett said consideration was being given to the implications of the boom in terms of revenue flows into the country, secured jobs and growth in the economy as “the tourism industry continues to be at the forefront of that with ten consecutive quarters of growth.”

The start of the traditional winter tourist season was also marked by the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) expressing thanks to all categories of workers at the SIA with an appreciation breakfast and the presentation of awards.

The JTB Chairman’s Award for exemplary service was presented to Tracey Ann Patterson, while other recipients included Shelly Ann Fung King, who was awarded for her outstanding contribution; MBJ Airports was recognized for its 20th year as concessionaire for the airport and Port Security was also singled out its outstanding service.

Kingston, Jamaica; Friday, December 15, 2023: Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, has extended heartfelt congratulations to Sandals Resorts International for their outstanding wins at the 21st annual Travel Weekly Readers' Choice Awards. The black-tie gala, held on December 13 at the American Museum of Natural History in New York, saw Sandals Resorts clinching two prestigious awards in the highly competitive Best in Hotel Chains category, securing top honours for Best in the Caribbean and Best All-Inclusive.

Expressing his delight, Minister Bartlett said: “I am thrilled to witness Sandals’ remarkable double triumph at Travel Weekly’s recent Readers’ Choice Awards. This achievement is a testament to their unwavering commitment to excellence and the exceptional guest experience they provide in Jamaica and other destinations across the Caribbean. My sincere commendations to Executive Chairman, Adam Stewart, and the entire team on this stellar achievement.” 

Minister Bartlett added: “I am pleased to see that Sandals, our home-grown luxury hotel chain continues to excel on the international stage, flying the Jamaican banner high and doing our nation proud. It is proof of the high quality of our local brands and our destination overall.”

Sandals Resorts, a regional beacon of luxury and hospitality, emerged victorious in the Best in Hotel Chains category after an open ballot phase during the summer, where readers nominated companies exemplifying excellence in various categories. Sandals Resorts secured its place as a finalist based on readers' votes and subsequently prevailed in the second round of voting held in the fall.

The tourism minister also acknowledged the success of Karisma Hotels and Resorts, a key player in the Jamaican market, for their win in the boutique hotels sub-category. Additionally, he also lauded Marriott International, which also has a significant presence in Jamaica, after it clinched wins in the Domestic (US market); Hawaii/South Pacific; Sales & Service; and Hotel Group Overall sub-categories.

FALMOUTH, Trelawny; Thursday, December 14, 2023:  Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness has challenged the Ministry of Tourism to work closely with tourism partners to significantly boost tourist arrivals and strengthen linkages with other sectors, in particular agriculture.

“The impact of tourism goes beyond the confines of the industry itself; it ripples through various sectors creating a web of opportunities for people. Jobs created by tourism extend into agriculture, entertainment, attractions, communications and transportation, to name a few,” noted Prime Minister Holness.

He was giving the keynote address during a special ribbon cutting ceremony marking the official opening of the new 352-room, Hideaway at Royalton Blue Waters, in Trelawny on December 13, 2023. With an investment of US$40 million, the development was executed in just six months.

With Jamaica on record pace to secure some 4.1 million visitors this year, so soon after the fallout caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Prime Minister Holness told Minister of Tourism, Hon Edmund Bartlett, “I think we could do eight million.” In outlining his vision, Mr. Holness continued: “I think we can,” he added, “we must be ambitious,” noting that “Jamaica has the diversity in its tourism product to attract that many visitors.” 

He said while he was pleased with the tremendous growth of the industry so far, “I think we must set new targets; we need to be pushing ourselves more because we have the potential.” Prime Minister Holness stated that “we as a people must now begin to focus on the elements of our society, our culture; the things that define us as a people to achieve these ambitious goals which will increase our prosperity.”

He referenced the Planning Institute of Jamaica’s most recent report that for the period July to September, 2023, Jamaica experienced growth of 1.9% in real terms over the similar quarter for 2022, noting that, “the hotel and restaurant sector experienced 8% growth.”

With that achievement however, Mr. Holness said for more persons to benefit from the tourism industry greater attempts must be made to strengthen the linkages between tourism and all the other industries, especially agriculture. While the sustained impact on labour is seen in every new room that is constructed, asserting that he could not stress it enough, he reiterated that: “For us to really benefit from tourism everything that can be supplied to the tourist who visits here, that can be produced here should be made and supplied from here.”

He acknowledged that significant progress is already being made through the Tourism Linkages Network, a division of the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF). This includes the success of the annual Speed Networking and Christmas in July events; as well as the Agri-Linkages Exchange (ALEX) platform, which has generated some $1 billion in sales by small farmers. The initiative sees small farmers with 3-acre and 5-acre lots as well as backyard farmers selling to local hotels and restaurants. The ALEX platform, a collaborative initiative between the TEF and the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA), has revolutionized the interaction between hoteliers and farmers.

However, the Prime Minister called for even more progress beyond what has already been achieved. Mr. Holness said he wanted to make it clear to all partners in the development of tourism that the next step in strengthening their brands and products, “is to ensure that there is a symbiotic link, not just to employment, but to the consumption of Jamaican made goods and services to the people who come here.” He underscored that “the next frontier of the government is to make sure that more Jamaican products get into the hotels.” 

Thanking Blue Diamond for coming to Jamaica and “the confidence that they continue to show in Destination Jamaica,” Minister Bartlett hinted at further investments by the company, which has a collaboration with the Marriott international hotel chain.

Blue Diamond Resorts bought the property 12 years ago and President of Blue Diamond Resorts, Jordi Pelfort pledged that “we are going to stay for a long time” as he expressed gratitude to the Jamaican government and people. He also lauded the leadership of Jamaican women against the background of Jamaican Kerry Ann Quallo-Casserly being Regional Commercial Director, Jamaica at Blue Diamond Resorts, which employs approximately 95% of Jamaicans across its hotels in Negril and Falmouth.

Kingston, Jamaica; Tuesday, December 12, 2023: With a record winter tourist season on the horizon, Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, has announced that the island is set to eclipse its growth projections for visitor arrivals and tourism earnings for 2023, based on the robust growth trajectory of Jamaica's vibrant tourism industry.

While providing an update on the sector in the House of Representatives earlier this afternoon, Minister Bartlett outlined optimistic estimates. He said “the island should record a total of 4,122,100 visitors for the period January to December, 2023. This would signal an increase of 23.7% over the total number of visitors recorded in 2022.”

Highlighting the impressive growth trend, Minister Bartlett said: “Of this number 2,875,549 are expected to be stopover visitors, which would represent a 16% increase over the number of stopover arrivals recorded in 2022. Additionally, we expect to end the year with a total of 1,246,551 cruise passengers, which would represent a 46.1% increase over the tally for 2022.”

Stressing that the sector’s record-breaking recovery seems set to continue, he noted that: “This continues the spectacular growth pattern of tourism, with 10 consecutive quarters of substantial growth since the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on arrival figures to date, all indications are that we will be having an 11th quarter of significant expansion."

In terms of tourism earnings, the Minister announced that “this influx of visitors is expected to generate a whopping US$4.265 billion for 2023, representing a projected increase of 17.8% over the revenue secured in 2022, and a 17.2% increase in revenue over the pre-pandemic year of 2019.”

Minister Bartlett emphasized that, “if we continue on our impressive growth trajectory, we will be on track to surpass our projections of 4 million visitors and foreign exchange earnings of US$4.1 billion by year-end.”

Additionally, the Minister provided an estimated breakdown of these earnings, specifying direct revenues to the government’s coffers. These include contributions to the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF) fees, Departure Tax, Airport Improvement Fee, Airline Passenger Levy, Passenger fees and charges, as well as the Guest Accommodation Room Tax (GART), amounting to US$336 million or JA$52 billion.

Minister Bartlett expressed gratitude for the support and sterling contribution of all tourism stakeholders to the continued success of the sector, including tourism workers, the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA) and other local and international partners. The tourism minister reaffirmed that the Ministry, its public bodies and all tourism partners remain committed to fostering the sustainable growth and resilience that have enabled Jamaica to maintain its position as a premier travel destination globally.