LONDON, United Kingdom; Tuesday, November 7, 2023: Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett has set a new target to welcome 250,000 visitors out of the United Kingdom (UK) and Ireland by 2025. This follows on the heels of Jamaica being the number one Caribbean destination among UK visitors last year.

"Jamaica welcomed two hundred and twenty-nine thousand UK visitors last year, making it the number destination in the Caribbean for British visitors, and we plan to aggressively build on this number. With additional airlift with the upcoming Norse flights next month along with our other long standing airline partners, I am confident we will be able to meet this target," said Minister Bartlett. 

The announcement was made at an exclusive media event held at the Jamaica stand at World Travel Market (WTM) yesterday (November 6) in London. Bartlett is accompanied by Chairman of the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) John Lynch and Senior Advisor and Strategist in the Ministry of Tourism, Delano Seiveright. WTM London, one of the world’s largest tourism trade shows, facilitates £2.8 billion in industry deals and has attracted some 5,000 exhibitors from 182 countries and regions and more than 51,000 participants.

The new Norse Atlantic Airways service to Montego Bay is scheduled to begin in December, operating four times a week from London Gatwick. The island is already easily accessible from the United Kingdom through daily nonstop flights provided by Virgin Atlantic Airways departing from London Heathrow, British Airways departing from London Gatwick, and TUI departing from Birmingham, London Gatwick, and Manchester.

"We are truly grateful to be number one in the Caribbean for British travellers, and it is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the team. With this new target, it means pushing even more to achieve this goal and retain the number one spot," said Elizabeth Fox, Regional Director, UK and Nordics, Jamaica Tourist Board.

In the first half of 2023, Jamaica witnessed a significant increase in arrivals from the UK with a remarkable 69.2% surge in overall visitor arrivals compared to 2021. This growth has resulted in record-breaking earnings exceeding US$2 billion.

The island is poised to welcome over 3 million visitors by the end of the year with foreign exchange earnings of an impressive US$4.2 billion.

Kingston, Jamaica; Friday, November 3, 2023: Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, is set to depart the island on Saturday, November 4, 2023, for London, England, to participate in World Travel Market (WTM) London. The leading global travel tradeshow will take place at the ExCel London from November 6 to 8, 2023. 

In expressing his enthusiasm about the upcoming trip, Minister Bartlett said, “The World Travel Market is a crucial event for Jamaica's tourism industry. With England being the leading European market for visitors to Jamaica, it offers us a golden opportunity to strengthen existing partnerships, explore new collaborations, and showcase our beautiful island to the world.”

World Travel Market London is recognized as the most influential travel and tourism gathering globally. This year's WTM London event promises to be a significant platform for global travel and tourism professionals. It brings together travel experts, industry leaders, and government officials to discuss innovative ideas and strategies that will drive the industry forward. WTM London will welcome over 35,000 professionals from 184 countries, offering them inspiration, education, and valuable networking opportunities.

The tourism minister’s itinerary at WTM London is packed with activities aimed at advancing the interests of Destination Jamaica. On the first day, he will participate in the WTM Ministers’ Summit, which is being held in association with the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC). The summit will provide a platform for discussions on key global travel and tourism issues.

Following the summit, Minister Bartlett will meet with senior representatives of the Spanish-owned Hospiten Group, operators of the private Hospiten medical facility in Montego Bay.  The meeting with Vice President and CEO, Pedro Luis Cobiella Beauvais, and Corporate Commercial Communications and Marketing Director, Carlos Salazar Benítez, will explore opportunities for further collaboration in the medical tourism sector. 

Minister Bartlett will also take part in the ‘Jamaica is the Number One Destination’ Trade & Media Event, before concluding the evening with his attendance at the Global Travel Hall of Fame, where leaders in the travel and tourism industry will be honoured for their outstanding contributions to the industry.

On day two, Minister Bartlett will have a bilateral meeting with the Hon. Nabeela Tunis, Sierra Leone’s Minister of Tourism and Cultural Affairs. Both Ministers will discuss strategies to deepen tourism partnerships between the Caribbean and Africa.  The African market of 1.3 billion people is being eyed as the next big source market for tourists to Jamaica as the industry seeks to diversify beyond traditional markets in North America and Europe. 

Additionally, the tourism minister will participate in a Panel Discussion at the WTM Discovery Stage, contributing his insights on trends and innovations in the sector. He will also meet with major travel partners, including the TUI Group’s Sebastian Ebel, CEO, and David Burling, CEO of Markets & Airlines as well as Blue Diamond Resorts’ Jordi Pelfort, President, and Jürgen Stütz, SVP Sales & Marketing.

The final day of activities will see Minister Bartlett engaging in media interviews and press events geared at highlighting Jamaica's continued commitment to developing and offering a unique and competitive tourism product.

“WTM London brings together travel professionals from across the globe, making it the ideal platform for us to not only highlight our world-class offerings but also to discuss the latest trends and innovations in the travel sector. Our participation reinforces Jamaica's commitment to providing memorable travel experiences to visitors from around the world,” the tourism minister added. 

Minister Bartlett is scheduled to return to Jamaica on Thursday, November 9, 2023.

Kingston, Jamaica; Friday, October 27, 2023: Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, has announced that transactions on the Agri-Linkages Exchange (ALEX) platform have generated $1 billion in sales by small farmers. This as he also outlined that tourism loan disbursements through the National Export-Import (EXIM) Bank have also surpassed $1 billion for 2023. Commending the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF) on the strides being made, the tourism minister underscored the increased impact of the tourism value chain on Jamaican small businesses as a significant outcome. 

In expressing his delight, Minister Bartlett said: "We're very proud to share that the mid-year review of tourism’s performance indicates that we have reached the billion-dollar mark with market transactions on the ALEX platform. These are small farmers with 3-acre and 5-acre lots as well as backyard farming selling to local hotels and restaurants. So, we are excited about what is happening there in terms of the Jamaican tourism dollar penetrating to the small and medium tourism enterprises."

Minister Bartlett made the announcement during the Ministry of Tourism’s annual Strategic Planning Retreat, held at the Montego Bay Convention Centre from October 25-26, 2023.

The ALEX platform, a collaborative initiative between the TEF, a public body of the Ministry of Tourism, and the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA), has revolutionized the interaction between hoteliers and farmers. 

The tourism minister noted that the platform has significantly improved the access small farmers have to procurement arrangements at hotels and restaurants throughout Jamaica, thereby enhancing the local agricultural landscape.

Minister Bartlett also added that: "Another signal of our strong performance is that we have reached the billion-dollar mark for disbursements for the year so far from EXIM Bank. When we add that to what has been disbursed since the programme’s origin, we have now disbursed over $2 billion to small and medium tourism enterprises across Jamaica. Four hundred and thirty-nine small companies have benefited from this programme."

The Small and Medium Tourism Enterprises (SMTE) loan facility, managed by the TEF and facilitated through the EXIM Bank, plays a pivotal role in enhancing the resilience and capacity of SMTEs in the tourism sector. This initiative has empowered business operators with access to financing of up to $25 million at an attractive interest rate of 4.5 per cent for five years.

Meanwhile, Minister Bartlett expressed optimism that as the sector continues to recover the tourism value chain will significantly impact more SMTEs. “This month of October is the best October in the history of Jamaica. We are now closing in on 200,000 visitors in the month of October and that is unprecedented as October is usually one of our slowest months,” he said. 

“September and October are when hotels would usually close off and people would go on leave and we would do refurbishing. This September and October, no such thing, the hotels have been active and the jobs are still there and strong, and earnings for the ordinary Jamaican have been strong as well," Minister Bartlett emphasized.

Kingston, Jamaica; Thursday, October 26, 2023: The Government of Jamaica (GoJ) has underscored its commitment to service excellence as a fundamental pillar of its prosperity agenda. The emphasis on high-touch service and unwavering dedication to quality service delivery was at the forefront as Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett delivered the keynote address at yesterday’s (October 25) staging of the second annual GoJ Service Excellence Awards at the Spanish Court Hotel.

Speaking on behalf of the Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, Minister Bartlett lauded the efforts of the Public Sector Modernization Division (PSMD) within the Office of the Cabinet for leading the charge in service improvement and implementing the Service Excellence Awards to acknowledge public-sector entities demonstrating outstanding performance in delivering quality services to citizens.

Highlighting the global impact of service excellence, Minister Bartlett said: "Service excellence enhances the competitiveness of a nation. In the global economy, countries that offer exceptional services attract foreign direct investment, stimulate economic growth, and create job opportunities. It's the hallmark of a nation's commitment to progress and prosperity."

"The sheer enormity of Government responsibility makes it critical that we take seriously the effective implementation of a framework of service excellence in the public sector that will provide quality in service delivery and enhance how we do business with the Government on a community, national, and international scale. Nation-building depends on it,” Minister Bartlett concluded.

Bartlett passionately asserted: "Service excellence is the backbone of Jamaica's thriving tourism industry and a key driver of profitability and growth. However, this is not by accident; we are continually elevating visitor satisfaction through high-touch service.” 

“In this age of social media and instant communication, every tourist's experience can influence countless others. Positive experiences result in glowing reviews and enthusiastic social media posts, amplifying Jamaica's brand value. On the other hand, poor service can damage the reputation of the entire industry,” the tourism minister added. 

He went on to describe high-touch service as "service from the heart" and underscored the importance of investing in people to deliver such service. "Recognizing that you have to invest in service delivery invites you to consider that the key driver of service excellence is people, and therefore, the investment must first be in building the capacity of people to deliver high-touch service," Minister Bartlett expressed. 

The Service Excellence Programme, launched by Prime Minister Holness in 2022, has placed service quality and reliability as the cornerstones of a more equitable and thriving society. The belief that consistent, high-quality services can enhance our standard of living, foster social cohesion, reduce inequalities, and, most importantly, build trust among citizens is driving this vision of excellence.

Cabinet Secretary, The Hon. Audrey Sewell, emphasized the significance of the event. She said, "This awards ceremony is a reminder that the Government is on a mission to enhance the lives of our citizens through enhanced government services. We must ensure innovation and efficiency in the delivery of world-class services. Our goal as the Office of the Cabinet is to foster an environment where excellence becomes the norm and not the exception in all government institutions."

The National Health Fund (NHF) was the big winner at this year’s awards, walking away with wins in four of the 10 categories which included: Operational Excellence, Public Education & Communication, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Website of the Year, Digital Innovation & Modernization, Customer Engagement, Customer Experience, Best Front Office Décor and the Service Excellence Award. The Registrar General’s Department (RGD), Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries & Mining, Ministry of Finance & the Public Service and Ministry of Education & Youth were the other winners.

Samarkand, Uzbekistan; Monday, October 20, 2023: Jamaica’s position as a leader in the global tourism industry has been further bolstered after the Caribbean nation secured the post of second vice chair of the United Nations World Tourism Organization's (UNWTO) Executive Council. This significant achievement follows a recent vote held on the margins of the UNWTO General Assembly in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. After an impressive lobbying effort by the Jamaican delegation, Jamaica received a resounding 20 votes, while Lithuania garnered 14.

The Executive Council is a highly esteemed body and is responsible for the management and implementation of strategic decisions carried out by the UNWTO.

Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, expressed pleasure at Jamaica's election, stating: "We are greatly honoured and heartened by Jamaica's election to the UNWTO Executive Council as the second vice chair. This achievement reflects our unwavering commitment to sustainable and innovative tourism and underscores the trust the global community places in Jamaica's leadership in the travel and hospitality sector. We eagerly anticipate our meaningful contributions to the Council's work in this capacity, with a focus on promoting the vital role of tourism in economic development and driving positive change in the industry."

The twenty-fifth session of the UNWTO General Assembly is being held in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, from October 16 to 20, 2023. This session represents the first assembly in the post-COVID-19 era, with the full participation of approximately 159 member states. The General Assembly serves as the supreme organ of the UNWTO and convenes once every two years, with delegates representing both full and associate members. The discussions during the General Assembly encompass a wide array of topics, including tourism's role in sustainability, investment, competitiveness, education, and the future of tourism.

Jamaica's election as the second vice chair follows its recent selection to serve on the UNWTO Executive Council from 2023 to 2027, alongside Colombia. This decision was made during the 68th UNWTO Commission for the Americas Meeting (CAM) in Quito, Ecuador, in June.

KINGSTON, Jamaica; Friday, October 13, 2023: Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett will depart the island tomorrow (October 14) to attend the highly anticipated twenty-fifth session of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) General Assembly, which will be held in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, from October 16-20, 2023.

This session will mark the first staging in the post COVID-19 era, with all of the approximately 159 member states slated to attend the General Assembly, which is the supreme organ of the UNWTO. Its ordinary sessions are held every two years and are attended by delegates representing the Full and Associate Members.

The General Assembly will entail several sessions, and focus on numerous topics, including: Tourism and Sustainability; Investment; Tourism and Competitiveness; Education; and Redesigning Tourism for the Future.

“As we enter the post-COVID-19 era it is crucial that all UNWTO member states meet to examine the state of the industry and plot the way forward as we strive to maintain the robust recovery and growth of the global tourism industry in the aftermath of the pandemic. Therefore, this session of the General Assembly is quite timely, and I look forward to very fruitful discussions,” noted Minister Bartlett.

Minister Bartlett’s trip comes on the heels of Jamaica being elected to serve on the UNWTO Executive Council from 2023-2027 alongside Colombia. The decision was made during the 68th UNWTO Commission for the Americas Meeting (CAM) held in Quito, Ecuador in June. The Executive Council is a highly esteemed body and is responsible for the management and implementation of strategic decisions carried out by the UNWTO.

“As an Executive Council member, we will seek to capitalize on the opportunity provided by the General Assembly to contribute to the discourse on the most pressing issues affecting the tourism industry by adding our voice as one of the most tourism-dependent nations in the world as we seek to build resilience and foster sustainable development,” Minister Bartlett added.

Minister Bartlett is slated to return to the island on October 22, 2023.

Kingston, Jamaica; Wednesday, October 11, 2023: In a compelling plea, Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, has again urged the international community to urgently unite in establishing a Global Resilience Fund to aid in boosting tourism resilience. This innovative initiative, he suggests, would encourage tourists to take personal responsibility for bolstering the ability to respond, mitigate, adapt, and recover from the impacts of climate-related shocks.

Addressing the Joint 5th Urban Economy Forum and 59th ISOCARP World Planning Congress yesterday, Minister Bartlett underscored his vision: "Imagine if each tourist were to contribute a small tip after every purchase made in their destination. This simple act could potentially generate billions of dollars, crucially needed by nations that are exceptionally vulnerable to climate change but often lack the necessary resources to enhance their resilience."

The call to action came during an opening session which forms part of the three-day event organized by the International Society of City and Regional Planners (ISOCARP), under the theme, "For Climate Action, Urban Finance: Climate-responsive Planning for Equitable Places and Communities." 

Minister Bartlett took the opportunity to underscore the unique challenges faced by small island developing states (SIDS), citing factors such as their small size, limited resources, geographical isolation, and heightened susceptibility to climate change. These vulnerabilities manifest as threats like natural disasters, economic fragility, food security concerns, energy dependencies, health vulnerabilities, and biodiversity loss.

In response to these challenges, the Minister stated: "Effectively addressing these vulnerabilities demands a multifaceted approach, including international cooperation, climate resilience initiatives, sustainable development strategies, and rigorous efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions."

Minister Bartlett passionately emphasized the need for SIDS, including Jamaica, to receive international support in their efforts to build resilience and pursue sustainable development in the face of these extraordinary challenges.

Acknowledging the significant role of tourism in global carbon emissions, with tourism activities contributing approximately 8% of global CO2 emissions and poised to double by 2035, Minister Bartlett emphasized the urgent need for a more sustainable model in the industry.

Simultaneously, he reiterated Jamaica's unwavering commitment to sustainable tourism and highlighted the country's climate-responsive policies and initiatives, including the Master Plan for Sustainable Tourism Development, the Destination Assurance Framework and Strategy (DAFS), the Blue Ocean Strategic Framework, the Community Tourism Policy, and the Tourism Linkages Networks Policy.

Within the context of climate action, the Minister emphasized that, alongside government initiatives, individual responsibility is a pivotal component of the equation. He explained, "Personal responsibility entails supporting policies and initiatives that promote sustainability and equity, and actively engaging with our local governments to hold them accountable for their commitments to climate action and urban development." 

"It also means educating ourselves and others about the importance of climate-responsive planning and sustainable financing," he added, "so that we can make informed decisions and advocate for change."

MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica; Monday, October 9, 2023: An announced plan by Flow to invest half a billion US dollars in Jamaica over the next three years, has been welcomed by Minister of Tourism, Hon Edmund Bartlett as a boost to connectivity and tourism development locally.

Investment of the funds was announced by Chief Executive Officer of FLOW’s parent company, Liberty Latin America, Balan Nair during a dinner at the Rose Hall Great House to wrap up the company’s board of directors’ meeting held in Montego Bay recently.

“We have spent about US$550 million in the last 36 months. Liberty and Flow will spend the same amount, US$550 million in the next 38 months. We’re so excited about Jamaica,” said Mr. Nair.

Expressing thanks to the multinational telecommunications and entertainment company for investing in Jamaica, Minister Bartlett reflected on the record growth in tourist arrivals pre and post COVID-19 and asserted: “We do this because we’re connected and your business is about connectivity and productivity, and you’re part of this great revolution that has now created not just a connected world but a hyper connected world.”

Mr. Bartlett added that “for the first time we’re beginning to see communication moving itself from the center to the peripheries; it’s now knowledge that is available to anyone, to everyone everywhere.”  He said this level of connectivity was challenging what was being done and the way things were being done, and “tourism has been that vehicle through which global connectivity has been realized. That’s what we do. We simply travel, move from one place to the other for the purpose of connecting with individuals, cultures and processes and redefining the way that relationships are understood.”

He pointed out that this was being achieved through technology and that telecommunications infrastructure provided the backbone for that connectivity “which now provides for us the opportunity to bring consumption patterns to diverse places on planet earth.” 

In doing so, “we leave a footprint of economic value, and Jamaica’s position as a destination has enabled us to earn in the last two years, US$7 billion and provided employment for 175,000 people directly and 354,000 indirectly,” Minister Bartlett told the Liberty Flow directors.

In the same vein, Minister Bartlett posited that the telecommunications industry was being challenged in its ability to drive the future of tourism “because our connectivity now is no longer dependent on our ability to move from one location to another but is contingent on our appreciation, our knowledge and ability to manipulate the virtual space.”

OCHO RIOS, Jamaica; Friday, October 6, 2023: Minister of Tourism, Hon Edmund Bartlett has hailed as transformational the move by local grown resort chain, Sandals Resorts International, to leverage Artificial Intelligence (AI) to train its employees, through the use of virtual and augmented reality.

Noting that the initiative had the potential to dramatically reshape the education and training landscape in the tourism sector and other industries Minister Bartlett said: “This platform offers the potential to advance education and training outcomes to unprecedented levels, thereby guaranteeing that our workforce is not just knowledgeable but also well-equipped to meet the future needs and challenges of a dynamic industry that operates in a rapidly changing environment.”

Minister Bartlett was making the keynote address at yesterday’s launch (October 5) of a partnership between the Sandals Corporate University (SCU) and EON Reality, a global pioneer in virtual and augmented reality software development, at Sandals Royal Plantation hotel. He said “in a dynamic and constantly changing global landscape, it is by way of innovations such as the SCU-EON XR Platform that we will be able to guarantee our continued relevance and maintain a competitive edge.”

He opined that such endeavours would guarantee the sustained position of tourism as a global leader in education and training benchmarks, adding that “the goal is not to merely establish a platform, but more importantly it is to herald the advent of a new paradigm in education transformation.”

Sandals has begun using the technology to train its over 16,000 employees across the Caribbean. Terming the launch of the SCU-EON XR Platform a milestone innovation, Minister Bartlett stated that the venture will mark the start of Jamaica’s tourism workers transitioning into a new technological age.

Terming the platform as revolutionary, Mr.  Bartlett said “the utilization of artificial intelligence and extended reality will be employed to redefine training and capacity building, particularly within the tourism industry.” 

He also saw the virtual platform playing a pivotal role in ensuring the resilience of the tourism sector and maintained that “in pursuit of excellence in tourism, it is always important to recognize and celebrate projects and innovators who push the boundaries beyond the transformative capabilities of modern technology.”

Also taking part in the launch were Executive Chairman, Sandals Resorts International, Adam Stewart; Senior Corporate Director, SCU, Dr Luz Longsworth; Chairman, SCU Advisory Board, Wayne Cummings; and Co-Founder and President of EON Reality, Mats Johannson, who demonstrated the use of the EON XR, with Minister Bartlett and Mr. Stewart personally participating.

Kingston, Jamaica; Wednesday, October 4, 2023: Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, has extended heartfelt congratulations to two of Jamaica's renowned hotels, S Hotel Jamaica and Jamaica Inn, for their exceptional achievements in the prestigious Condé Nast Readers' Choice Awards for 2023. 

In this year's edition of the awards, readers ranked S Hotel Jamaica #1 Hotel in the Caribbean and Central America with an impressive score of 99.33, while Jamaica Inn secured the 6th position with a commendable score of 94.17.

In celebrating the news, Minister Bartlett said, “I extend my heartfelt congratulations to the management and staff of S Hotel Jamaica and Jamaica Inn for their remarkable rankings in the Condé Nast Readers' Choice Awards. Undoubtedly, these results reflect the commitment of both of these stellar hotels to providing exceptional hospitality experiences.” 

Lauding S Hotel Jamaica, the luxury and lifestyle travel magazine wrote: "At S Hotel, you get the laid-back vibe of a stay in Jamaica with a bit of South Beach glitz—they even line the deck of their sleek pool with some of the island's famous white sand."

Jamaica Inn was praised by Condé Nast for its outstanding customer service and hospitable staff. They wrote: "Staff make you feel at home and go out of their way to make sure you have the most enjoyable experience possible."

Minister Bartlett expressed his elation at these outstanding achievements, saying, "These accolades demonstrate the dedication and hard work of their respective teams and underscore Jamaica's position as the premier destination in the Caribbean and Central America."

He further added, "Jamaica remains the ideal destination for relaxation, and the wonderful work being done by our tourism stakeholders, including S Hotel Jamaica and Jamaica Inn, ensures a memorable, safe, secure and seamless experience for all our visitors."

These awards celebrate the best and most beloved brands and establishments in the travel industry, recognizing their excellence through the unwavering support and reviews of Condé Nast readers. This follows big wins for both hotels at the recent World Travel Awards Caribbean and The America’s Gala 2023, where S Hotel Jamaica was named Jamaica’s Leading Hotel and Jamaica Inn took home the award for the Caribbean’s Leading Luxury All Suite Resort.