MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica; Tuesday, September 12, 2023: Minister of Tourism, Hon Edmund Bartlett has welcomed news that air seats out of Canada will increase significantly as of November 5, this year when Canada Jetlines introduces twice-weekly flights between Toronto and Montego Bay.

Jetlines’ Director of Sales and Business Development, Sanjay Kopalkar announced the introduction of the new service during a JAPEX media breakfast meeting held at the Jewel Grande Montego Bay Resort & Spa today (September 12). He said as a start there would be flights on Saturdays and Sundays utilising state of the art A320 Aircraft with 174-passenger capacity.

There is also an expectation of increasing to three fights weekly in the winter, and “depending on the progress and getting new aircraft, which are lined up for the first quarter of 2024, we will look at flying at least five times a week into Jamaica,” said Mr Kopalkar. The airline is also contemplating service to Kingston in the near future.

For his part, Mr Kopalkar said he was excited about the partnership between his company and the Ministry of Tourism and its public bodies that made a dream into reality and brought about the new air service that will cater largely to tourists. He said “Jetlines Airlines and Jetlines Vacations are committed to service, comfort and affordability.”

In welcoming the service, Minister Bartlett noted that Canada was Jamaica’s second largest source market, next to the USA, for tourists and “with Jetlines coming on board we are expecting a welcome increase in stopover visitors from Canada to take us closer to achieving our committed target of five million visitors and US$5 billion in earnings within five years.”

He expressed that “together we will build bridges, create lasting memories and continue to foster strong relations between Canada and Jamaica.”

The year-old Canada Jetlines is being promoted as a value-oriented leisure airline, operating scheduled and charter services throughout North America with its fleet of Airbus A320-200 aircraft. From its base at Toronto Pearson International, the airline’s destinations also include Las Vegas, Orlando International, and Cancun, Mexico.

“We are eager to contribute to the growth of tourism in Montego Bay by offering convenient and affordable flights, and we are here to encourage more Canadians to discover the wonders of Jamaica, fostering cultural ties as well as sustainable growth for both countries,” said Mr Kopalkar.

Kingston, Jamaica; Thursday, September 7, 2023: As Jamaica seeks to unlock the vast potential of the Latin American (LATAM) visitor market, Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, has emphasised the importance of multi-destination tourism and 'co-petition' to this initiative. Minister Bartlett highlighted the issue during his address at the 'Keys to LATAM’ Conference, organised by the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica (PSOJ) and Adtelligent Limited. The conference, held earlier today (September 7) at the Spanish Court Hotel, brought together industry professionals to explore business opportunities in the lucrative Latin American (LATAM) market.

Minister Bartlett underscored that a strong foundation existed for collaboration between Jamaica and Latin American countries, rooted in shared history, cultural ties, and geographical proximity. In this regard, the tourism minister revealed that he recently met with the Ambassadors from Mexico and the Dominican Republic to discuss multi-destination activities geared at collectively boosting tourism offerings across the region.

“This post-COVID period is calling for collaboration and cooperation, removing the notion of competitiveness that has characterised our activities up to this point and replacing it with the notion of ‘co-petitiveness’ so that we ‘co-pete’ rather than compete,” said Minister Bartlett. 

He continued: "As we strive to enhance our product and diversify our visitor base, it is imperative that we tap into emerging markets that hold tremendous potential, and Latin America, with its rich heritage, boundless passion, and growing economic influence, promises to be just that.”

With Latin America seeing an emerging middle class, which has increasing disposable income that has led to a surge in outbound tourism, Minister Bartlett explained that this demographic's quest for diverse cultural experiences presents a valuable opportunity for Jamaica to position itself as a preferred choice for Latin American travellers seeking unique and authentic experiences.

He underscored the immense economic potential and diversity of the Latin American region, boasting a population of over 650 million people and a combined GDP of over $5 trillion.

"My Ministry is targeting just a small fraction of that with a goal of 250,000 visitors from Latin America coming to Jamaica over the next five years as part of our aggressive push to reengage this significant source market," the tourism minister emphasised.

Furthermore, Minister Bartlett detailed his recent rebuilding efforts in the region, leading a team of tourism officials on a three-country market blitz in Argentina, Chile, and Peru. He also alluded to upcoming trips to Columbia, Mexico and Panama. So far, engagements have included critical discussions with tourism stakeholders, representatives of local authorities, ministries of tourism, as well as major regional carriers such as Copa and LATAM Airlines.

The tourism minister expressed optimism that collaborative events like the 'Keys to LATAM' Conference have the potential to not only boost Jamaica's growth numbers but also expand the country's global footprint and stimulate travel demand for the island.

KINGSTON, Jamaica; Thursday, September 7, 2023: Minister of Tourism, Hon Edmund Bartlett has hailed the late founder of Island Car Rentals, Mr. Michael Campbell, describing him as “a true stalwart in the transportation subsector of tourism and a man of impeccable character.”

Mr. Campbell, who died on Wednesday, September 6, 2023, founded the company in April 1973 with 15 vehicles and grew it to a fleet of some 1,600 vehicles to date, the largest in the island. Having developed an international reputation, for the past 13 years “Island” has been rated Jamaica’s Leading Car Rental Company and for the tenth year, as the “Caribbean’s Leading Independent Car Rental Company” by the World Travel Awards.

Minister Bartlett lauded Mr. Campbell as “an innovator and a trendsetter,” having brought a new dimension to the car rental industry with the establishment of the signature Island Car Rental company “which today is one of the outstanding statements in ground transportation in the entire Caribbean.”

Mr. Bartlett spoke of the far-reaching reputation of the company, which, he said, stood out as a testament to its quality “and the excellence of the execution of the services that he and the awesome team that he’s been able to garner around him.” He underscored that “the entire tourism family offers deep condolences to Mr. Campbell’s family, friends and other loved ones.”

While lamenting that Mr. Campbell will be missed, Minister Bartlett said: “We will glory in the legacy that he left behind; a strong and enduring contribution in entrepreneurship and a deep and abiding commitment to Jamaica, land he loved.”

Minister Bartlett added: “May his soul rest in peace and may light perpetual shine on him, and may his family take comfort in the fact that Michael lived a great life, served his country well and is at peace with his Maker.”

Kingston, Jamaica; Monday, August 28, 2023: It was an exciting weekend for Jamaica on the international stage with the destination taking home over 30 major awards at the 2023 World Travel Awards Caribbean & The America’s Gala, held on August 26 in St. Lucia.

Jamaica was again named Caribbean’s Leading Destination for the 17th consecutive year with the Jamaica Tourist Board winning the Caribbean’s Leading Tourist Board award for the 15th year in a row. The country was also named the Caribbean’s Leading Cruise Destination 2023, with the Port of Falmouth being named the Caribbean’s Leading Cruise Port 2023 and the Port of Montego Bay being named the Caribbean’s Leading Home Port 2023.

In celebrating the remarkable achievement of destination Jamaica and its tourism stakeholders, Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett said: “There’s always a strong sense of joy and pride that comes when you see the dedication of the tourism team being recognized and rewarded internationally. To see Jamaica consistently perform so well is a clear indication of our commitment to excellence.”

Bartlett added that: “This is a great post-pandemic statement of the energy, innovation and resilience of Jamaica’s tourism industry. As minister I feel blessed to share in these accomplishments but also urge vigilance in developing the sector. Our record growth and recovery have been nothing short of phenomenal; however, we cannot become complacent and lose sight of the vision as we strive towards a better future. Massive congratulations to the entire team!”

While Jamaica’s athletes brought the curtains down on a spectacular performance at the World Athletics Championships and Minister Bartlett wrapped up the destination’s Eastern European marketing blitz in Budapest, members of the tourism team, led by Director of Tourism, Donovan White, represented the island at the awards ceremony hosted at the Sandals Grande St. Lucian.

In the hospitality sector, Sandals Resorts International was named Caribbean's Leading Hotel Brand 2023. Sandals Dunn’s River was named the Caribbean’s Leading New Resort 2023 as well as the Caribbean’s Leading Luxury All-Inclusive Resort 2023. Similarly, Sandals Montego Bay was named Jamaica’s Leading Resort 2023, with Beaches Negril being awarded Jamaica’s Leading All-Inclusive Family Resort 2023. Half Moon also walked away with two awards, securing the titles of the Caribbean’s Leading Hotel 2023 and Jamaica’s Leading Luxury Resort 2023. GoldenEye was among the double winners, copping the Caribbean’s Leading Boutique Resort 2023, while Fleming Villa at GoldenEye was named the Caribbean’s Leading Luxury Hotel Villa 2023.

Additionally, The Tryall Club was awarded the Caribbean’s Leading Hotel Residences 2023, while Round Hill Hotel & Villas came away with the Caribbean’s Leading Villa Resort 2023 award. The Montego Bay Convention Centre retained the title of the Caribbean’s Leading Meetings & Conference Centre and Jamaica Inn was again named the Caribbean's Leading Luxury All Suite Resort.

GO! Jamaica Travel was among the night’s big winners, taking home four awards, the Caribbean’s Leading Destination Management Company 2023, Caribbean’s Leading Tour Operator 2023, Caribbean’s Leading Travel Agency 2023 and Jamaica’s Leading Travel Agency 2023. The Caribbean’s Leading Adventure Tour Operator 2023 award went to Island Routes with Margaritaville Caribbean claiming the Caribbean’s Leading Entertainment Venue 2023 award. Dunn’s River Falls & Park was named the Caribbean’s Leading Adventure Tourist Attraction.

Other winners included Island Car Rentals who were awarded the Caribbean’s Leading Independent Car Rental Company 2023 and Jamaica’s leading Car Rental Company 2023. Sangster International Airport and Club Mobay at Sangster International Airport were each named the Caribbean’s Leading Airport 2023 and the Caribbean’s Leading Airport Lounge 2023 respectively.

Jamaica’s Leading Boutique Hotel 2023 award went to Strawberry Hill whereas Jamaica’s Leading Hotel 2023 title went to S Hotel Jamaica. Spanish Court Hotel won Jamaica’s Leading Business Hotel 2023 award with Hyatt Ziva Rose Hall being designated as Jamaica’s Leading Conference Hotel 2023.

“These awards are proof of the hard work and dedication of all our committed tourism stakeholders who help to make our tourism product one of the best and most sought-after in the world,” noted Director of Tourism, Donovan White.

Jamaica and its tourism entities received some 33 awards at the ceremony. 

Kingston, Jamaica; Thursday, August 24, 2023: As Jamaica enjoys its best summer tourist season ever, Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett has revealed that the island is now the only Caribbean nation to secure increased earnings in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Jamaica is the first and only Caribbean country, within the first year after the COVID-19 pandemic, to not just fully recover but in fact to have increased earnings. The result is that today Jamaica is heading for a record in terms of earnings and is some 10-15% ahead in terms of stopover arrivals, while only lagging in cruise,” Minister Bartlett outlined.

Mr. Bartlett made the announcement as he addressed media representatives in Hungary where he is currently leading a special marketing blitz to promote destination Jamaica amid the staging of the 19^th World Athletics Championships underway in Budapest.

The Minister also outlined that plans are in place to triple the number of visitors from Central and Eastern Europe by 2025, amid efforts to position Jamaica as a destination of choice for visitors from that region.

“Jamaica currently receives some 2,000 visitors from Central and Eastern Europe, with Hungary contributing to that amount. However we are ramping up our marketing efforts with new airlift arrangements as well as fam trips, so we expect to increase that number to 6,000 visitors by 2025,” he explained.

“We  are looking at ways to build relationships with other countries around Europe. With countries such as Serbia, Georgia and Poland and to use Condor as the critical airline for connectivity with the region, with the Berlin to Montego Bay route as a start,” he added.

Mr. Bartlett’s comments come on the heels of the Planning Institute of Jamaica’s recent quarterly report, which confirmed that total visitor expenditure for April 2023 increased by 19.7%, compared with the corresponding month in 2022, as well as a 14.7% rise in preliminary airport arrivals for July 2023. These figures highlight that Jamaica is on track to meet its projections of 3.8 million visitors and foreign exchange earnings of US$4.1 billion by the end of the year.

Minister Bartlett stressed that “Jamaica’s tourism sector continues to register record-breaking growth, not just by chance but due to the strategic response to the pandemic by the Ministry of Tourism and our committed tourism partners. I must commend the entire tourism team for their hard work, which has enabled us to navigate our way through the pandemic.”

Kingston, Jamaica; Tuesday, August 22, 2023: On the heels of an impressive ninth consecutive quarter of economic growth for Jamaica’s tourism industry, Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett has kicked off engagements in Eastern Europe with a marketing blitz to promote destination Jamaica amid the staging of the 19^th World Athletics Championships underway in Budapest, Hungary.

“We met with over 50 tour operators, travel agents and media representatives at the President’s Hotel. We discussed the new way in which Jamaica will engage Central and Eastern European countries, including Poland, Georgia, Serbia and Bulgaria, among others. The connection of course being through Berlin, Germany, via Condor that has a direct route between Montego Bay and Berlin. We are also in discussions with a major private sector player about their plans to operate charter flights between Bulgaria and Jamaica for Winter 2023/24,” noted Minister Bartlett.

Noting that the traffic between Hungary and Jamaica is currently low, the tourism minister stressed that the appetite for travel to Jamaica is strong and he is excited to capitalize on this. He continued, “As Jamaica doubles down on its efforts to increase visitor arrivals, this will provide a unique opportunity to leverage the power of sports tourism to promote Jamaica as an attractive and dynamic travel destination and strengthen the relationship between Jamaica and Europe.”

The tourism minister also highlighted that these engagements are aligned with the Ministry of Tourism’s Blue Ocean Strategy which is targeted at bolstering arrivals from non-traditional markets while encouraging product differentiation locally. Along the same vein, Minister Bartlett welcomed the recent announcement from the Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ) that the Hotels & Restaurants industry grew by 9% in the April to June 2023 quarter, with preliminary estimates on foreign national arrivals standing at 705,031 visitors, an increase of 14.2% compared with the corresponding quarter of 2022.

At the same time, the latest tourism figures show that between January and July of this year, Jamaica welcomed some 2.47 million visitors. This includes 1.72 million stopover visitors and 747,643 cruise visitors, more than twice the number recorded for the corresponding period in 2022; with gross earnings of US$2.59 billion.

“You’re looking at a more than 24% increase in gross tourism dollars earned in just those seven months. The economy continues to grow, and tourism continues to play a big role in that. Coming out of the pandemic, tourism has consistently demonstrated its resilience and, as a result, the sector’s contribution to the Jamaican economy cannot be overlooked. Now more than ever, we are focused on advancing programmes and policies that ensure this growth trajectory is sustained,” asserted the tourism minister.

With the PIOJ’s recent quarterly report confirming that total visitor expenditure for April 2023 increased by 19.7%, compared with the corresponding month of 2022 as well as a 14.7% uptick in preliminary airport arrivals for July 2023, Jamaica is on track to meet its projections of 3.8 million visitors and foreign exchange earnings of US$4.1 billion by the end of the year.

Returning focus to the dual-purpose nature of his trip, Minister Bartlett added, “The other noteworthy area is the impact of the World Athletics Championships where the Jamaicans are performing creditably and are expected to do greater things leading up to Sunday’s closure. Already we have three medals, two silver and a bronze, and we are expecting to pick up several gold medals in the coming days.”

MANDEVILLE, Jamaica, Sunday, August 20, 2023: With small and medium tourism enterprises (SMTEs) accounting for 80 percent of all tourism business, Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett says that sector is being positioned to meet the demands of today’s travellers.

In that regard, Minister Bartlett identified the need for three elements to aid the SMTE sector, including training to build capacity, funding for capital development and marketing support.

His remarks were directed at 55 graduates in the third cohort of trainees in the Central Jamaica Social Development Initiative (CJSDI) Youth Entrepreneurship Training Programme at their graduation ceremony on Thursday, August 17, 2023, at Tropics View Hotel.

 “The SMTEs are indispensable to the tourism industry,” stated Mr. Bartlett, but “something is wrong with that picture as “only 20 percent of the returns from tourism goes to this 80 percent.” The three pillars were, therefore, being used to correct the imbalance and build their “to develop more ideas to be able to bring more products on stream and then to fund your capacity to increase the number and the higher quality and, finally, to provide the market for you so that you could get the price you want for the goods that you have provided.”

Mr. Bartlett said the artisan village at the cruise ship port in Falmouth, and others to follow, were being developed with that concept in mind.

“One of the key reasons why small businesses are vital to our tourism industry is their ability to offer unique and authentic experiences,” said Minister Bartlett. “So what we’re saying then is that we must create quality, build capacity and strong standards so that there is no gainsaying of the authenticity and quality of the product”

According to the tourism minister, travellers today were increasingly seeking authentic experiences and wanting to immerse themselves in the local way of life and “small businesses are well positioned to meet this demand by offering personalized tours, locally sourced products and intimate accommodations that showcase the destination’s true essence.”

He also underscored that small businesses had a profound economic impact on the communities in which they operate, create jobs, generate income and contribute to the local economy. With billions of dollars being generated by the industry annually and efforts to make it truly Jamaican, the Ministry of Tourism, through its Linkages Network, “continues to work relentlessly to ensure that the supply needs of the hotel and hospitality sectors are met by Jamaican producers and manufacturers.”

One of the core objectives of the CJSDI programme is to provide these young entrepreneurs with the skills to transform fledgling businesses into successful entities that meet global standards and give graduates small grant funding to support their entrepreneurial goals. The training was conducted in partnership with other public agencies, including the HEART/NSTA Trust, the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA), the Jamaica Business Development Corporation (JBDC) and the Companies Office of Jamaica (COJ).

 “As graduates of the CJSDI you have been given the skills, mentorship and know-how to transform your businesses into thriving entities that can eventually meet global standards in productivity,” Minister Bartlett encouraged them.

Kingston, Jamaica; Wednesday, August 16, 2023: With global forecasts positioning travel and tourism as a leading driver of Africa’s economic growth over the next decade, Jamaica’s Minster of Tourism Hon. Edmund Bartlett has highlighted the strategic importance of the Caribbean in engaging members of the African Diaspora domiciled in the Americas to forge stronger partnerships between both regions and benefit from this promising trajectory.

Speaking earlier today at the Africa Diaspora Travel and Tourism Summit where he delivered the keynote address virtually, the tourism minister said, “In 2018, tourist arrivals among African destinations grew by 5.6 %, which was the second-fastest growth rate among all regions and stronger than global average growth of 3.9 %. According to forecasts from World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), tourism’s GDP will grow at an average rate of 6.8% annually between 2022-2032, more than twice the 3.3% growth rate of the region’s overall economy.”

In this regard, Minster Bartlett explained that the Caribbean, comprising predominantly people of African ancestry and being among the most tourism-dependent regions in the world, had the unique opportunity to connect with the African Diaspora and build meaningful tourism linkages geared towards promoting development across borders.

Noting the continent’s youthful population and the positive shifts in the political landscapes of African nations, Minister Bartlett added, “Africa has great potential to become a major force in global tourism. African destinations also have a competitive advantage amid the growing global interest in experiential tourism, especially culture, heritage and adventure.” 

“It has become clear that many African countries offer tremendous promise to become or remain vibrant hosts for tourists, investors and entrepreneurs, which can drive employment for low-skilled workers and economic inclusion for women and youth,” he added.

Notwithstanding this, the tourism minister stressed that the barriers to effective engagement of the diaspora needed to be tackled. At the same time, he advocated for greater efforts to be made by the various stakeholders to ensure increased participation of African diasporas in the economic transformation of the continent and challenged leaders to utilise the resources of the diaspora through the promotion of trade, investments, research, innovation, and knowledge and technology transfers. 

“Greater emphasis also needs to be placed on strengthening policies and programmes to engage the African diaspora at the regional level such as the African Union level. While credit must be given to the efforts of some African countries that have been pursuing policies to develop links with Africans abroad, either to encourage them to return or to use their skills, knowledge or financial capital to foster African development, there is a lot more room for improvement,” noted Minister Bartlett.

Kingston, Jamaica; Monday, August 14, 2023: Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett has emphasised the important role the literary and creative arts play in driving success within Jamaica’s tourism sector. Minister Bartlett also highlighted Kingston’s emerging status as a cultural powerhouse regionally and indicated the Ministry’s commitment to continue supporting the growth of the local creative industry.

Addressing last evening’s gathering of the 2023 Jamaica Poetry Festival held at the Louise Bennet Garden Theatre, the tourism minister said, “Tourism is a confluence of moving parts, and our culture, food, music, art and poetry are critical to its overall success. The creative arts and tourism work hand in hand to give visitors unforgettable experiences and keep them coming back. As a result, the tourism ministry is serious about uplifting our creatives and through the Tourism Enhancement Fund and its Linkages Network we have dedicated initiatives to doing just that.”

The festival was again sponsored by the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF), event partners for the last two productions. The 13^th staging was dubbed the “Arts in Action Edition” and honoured two legendary Jamaicans who contributed significantly to the global recognition of Jamaican art and culture, Louise “Miss Lou” Bennett-Coverley and Harry Belafonte as well as renowned Lebanese American writer, Khalil Gibran.

In addition to speaking on the harmonisation of the creative arts and tourism, Minister Bartlett also read an excerpt from his 2022 book “Tourism Resilience and Recovery for Global Sustainability and Development: Navigating COVID-19 and the Future” that was co-authored with Prof. Lloyd Waller, Executive Director of the Global Tourism Resilience and Crisis Management Centre (GTRCMC). The tourism minister also performed an original poem entitled “Tourism’s Call, Resilience Siren Song” which explored themes such as the pandemic, adaptability and recovery.

“I am delighted to be at festivals like these because it gives us a statement to make. I want you to know that you are part of a global market that is now 5 billion US dollars strong – art, culture and music. The projection for the next 15 years is that it will get to 22 billion dollars. My job is to try to bring you into that mix and enable Jamaica to get a piece of that action,” Minister Bartlett noted.

This year’s line-up included performances from several notable Jamaicans – Prof. Edward Baugh, Jean Lowrie-Chin, Prof. Clinton Hutton, Boris Gardiner, Dr. Winsome Miller-Rowe and event organiser Yasus Afari, among others. A portion of the proceeds earned will be donated to the Jamaica Society for the Blind to help bolster its programmes and services tailored to improving the well-being of visually impaired Jamaicans.

SANTIAGO, Chile; Wednesday, August 2, 2023: Minister of Tourism, Hon Edmund Bartlett has announced that summer 2024 has been earmarked for the resumption of nonstop flights with LATAM Airlines to Jamaica. The move follows discussions today with top executives from LATAM airlines in Chile.

In 2019, LATAM Airlines, the largest airline corporation in Latin America, operated three weekly flights to Montego Bay with convenient connections from cities in Peru, Chile, Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, Paraguay and Bolivia. The route was operated by Airbus A320 aircraft with capacity for 174 passengers, offering a total of 52,600 seats.

“The resumption of airlift from the largest airline in Latin America bodes well for our push to increase arrivals from this lucrative and important region. We were well on our way to leverage this airlift in 2019, and then COVID-19 halted our progress. Chile is our 2nd largest market in the region, so it is truly gratifying to be in discussions now to build on what we started," said Minister Bartlett.