KINGSTON, Jamaica; December 1, 2021: Tourism Minister, Hon. Edmund Bartlett has revealed that the American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute (AHLEI), a vital partner of the Jamaica Centre of Tourism Innovation (JCTI), has agreed to publish a special training case study focusing on Jamaica. The decision was made because, since the partnership began four years ago, over 8,000 Jamaican tourism workers have received professional certification.

This was announced during a meeting in Madrid earlier today with Ed Kastli, Vice President of International Sales at AHLEI. Noting that 1 million jobs remain open in the United States market for tourism workers, Minister Bartlett underscored that this partnership remains valuable as Jamaica continues to focus on human capital development across the tourism sector.

“AHLEI published COVID-19 guidelines and protocols in March 2020 for the hotels and restaurants, which were shared with us at the Ministry of Tourism for conversion into training programmes to ensure the safety and security of our tourism workers and visitors,” he explained.

The JCTI is a division of the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF), a public body of the Ministry of Tourism. The JCTI is tasked with facilitating the development of Jamaica’s valuable human capital and supporting innovation within the tourism sector.

“Tourism is central to Jamaica’s national development. One key goal of the programmes and activities of the Ministry of Tourism and our public bodies is to create jobs that redound to an improved quality of life for the average Jamaican,” Minister Bartlett expressed.

KINGSTON, Jamaica; November 30, 2021: Tourism Minister Hon. Edmund Bartlett has emphasised that Jamaica’s tourism sector will cross a major threshold in its recovery tomorrow (December 1) with the Montego Bay Cruise Port set to welcome its first cruise ship since the re-opening of the local cruise industry. In welcoming the return of cruise to the tourism Mecca he underscored that “it will mark the return of operations to all the island’s major cruise ports.”  

The conquest-class cruise ship heading to the island is Carnival Glory, operated by Carnival Cruise Line. The vessel has a maximum capacity of 2,980 passengers and 1,150 crew members.

“I am delighted to welcome cruise back to the tourism capital of Jamaica – Montego Bay. I am certain that this will be a welcome move for our stakeholders, especially our small and medium tourism enterprises, who earn significantly from cruise passengers. We certainly look forward to welcoming Carnival passengers to our shores and assure them that this will be a memorable but very safe experience,” said Bartlett.

The return of cruise to the second city is being managed by the Port Authority of Jamaica, the Ministry of Health and Wellness, the Tourism Product Development Company (TPDCo) and the Jamaica Vacations Limited (JAMVAC).

"Within the Resilient Corridors, travellers will be able to tour facilities and participate in pre-arranged excursions. Our first objective was, and continues to be, instilling confidence in travellers. We want our visitors to feel comfortable and secure when they visit us while also ensuring that their experiences are enjoyable and that our vivid Jamaican personality shines through," Bartlett stated.

Carnival Corporation, the world's largest cruise line, recently committed to sending 110 or more cruises, by its various brands, to the island between October 2021 and April 2022. The announcement followed discussions between Minister Bartlett, local tourism officials, and senior Carnival Corporation executives during recent meetings. The meetings formed part of a major marketing blitz, which saw the Minister and his team visiting the main tourism source markets of Canada, the United States, and the United Kingdom and the emerging market of the Middle East.

Carnival Cruise Line is an international cruise line with its headquarters in Doral, Florida. The company is a subsidiary of Carnival Corporation & plc.

KINGSTON, Jamaica; November 29, 2021: Tourism Minister, Hon. Edmund Bartlett departed the island yesterday to attend the twenty-fourth session of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) General Assembly, which will take place in Madrid, Spain, from November 30 to December 3, 2021.

The General Assembly will focus on innovation, education, rural development, and tourism's role in inclusive growth. Additionally, the programme includes the approval of proposed amendments to the UNWTO Affiliate Membership Legal Framework, the UNWTO Students' League finals, and the appointment of the UNWTO Secretary-General for the period 2022-2025. 

“The event will also feature a Video Competition, which includes two categories: Exceptional Tales of Tourism Resilience and Tourism Promotion and the Decade of Action. The General Assembly is the UNWTO's principal gathering and the venue for Member States to adopt the UNWTO's biennial work program and budget for 2022-2023,” the Minister outlined.

All of the approximately 159 member states are expected to be in attendance in Madrid for the General Assembly, which is the supreme organ of the UNWTO. Its ordinary sessions are held every two years and are attended by delegates of the Full and Associate Members.

“The General Assembly is the most critical meeting of senior tourism officials and high-level private sector representatives worldwide. It is the principal gathering of the UNWTO and meets to approve the budget and programme of work and debate ‎topics of vital importance to the tourism sector,” Minister Bartlett explained.

Minister Bartlett is slated to return to the island on December 5, 2021.

KINGSTON, Jamaica; November 25, 2021:  Tourism Minister, Hon. Edmund Bartlett has revealed that in a bid to boost the tourism sector, Jamaica will be targetting three million cruise ship visitors by 2025.

Earlier today, he made this declaration during the Jamaica Vacations Limited (JAMVAC) Executive Management and Board Retreat, hosted at Royalton Blue Waters in Trelawny.

"Our intention is to ensure that Jamaica gets 3 million cruise passengers by 2025.  We have built out the infrastructure, and we are going to do further work in the marketplace in order to accomplish this important objective," said Bartlett.

"The energy that both the Jamaica Tourist Board and JAMVAC will be putting into the market will be to position Jamaica, not just as a Caribbean destination of choice, but a destination that is attractive to people in Europe in particular, as well as Asia and the Middle East," he added.

Bartlett noted that JAMVAC would continue working closely with the Port Authority of Jamaica, the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB), and the Tourism Product Development Company (TPDCo) to achieve this goal.

The welcome news comes amid reports that the cruise sub-sector, which re-opened in August, has been steadily growing. The Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ) has reported that cruise passengers totalled 8,379 from 5 ships for the months of August and September, relative to none during the corresponding period of 2020. The PIOJ also outlined that Real Value Added for the Hotels & Restaurants industry was estimated to have grown by 114.7% for the July to September period of 2021, when compared to the same period for 2020.  Stopover visitor arrivals for the months of July and August 2021 increased by 293.3%, over the same period for 2020.

JAMVAC is a public body of the Ministry of Tourism and was founded in 1978. It oversees the Ministry’s airlift and cruise portfolios.  Its mandate is to create the conditions for Jamaica's visitor numbers to grow at a faster rate.  It also aims to provide, protect, and increase airlift capacity on both scheduled and charter routes by collaborating with existing and potential new carriers to ensure adequate capacity on each route.  Furthermore, it markets directly to cruise agents, solicits calls to Jamaican ports from cruise lines, and ensures that passengers' onshore experiences are always at their best.

JAMVAC is governed by a Board of Directors, chaired by Bertram Wright, and Joy Roberts is the current Executive Director.

MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica, Monday, November 22, 2021: Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett has welcomed an increasing show of confidence by international travellers in Jamaica as a safe vacation destination. “We’re seeing this heightened interest translated into increasing stopovers and last Saturday saw the arrival of some 47 flights and over 6,900 visitors,” said Minister Bartlett.

He noted that since the reopening of Jamaica’s borders to international travel in June 2020, “this is the highest number of visitors to arrive at the Sangster International Airport in any single day since COVID-19 devastated the tourism industry worldwide and grounded international flights.”

Minister Bartlett said airlines have been showing renewed interest in flying to Jamaica and last week, in the wake of the Government lifting some COVID-related restrictions for visitors, the numbers have been rising steadily.

“We are not yet into the traditional high season but there is an eagerness by travellers to get away from their restricted environments of the past 18 months and the fact that Jamaica has not lost its appeal, we are seeing the bookings moving upwards at a welcome rate,” the tourism minister said.

Regarding airlines, new gateways to Jamaica are being added to the existing slate. Since the beginning of November, Jamaica has welcomed United States (US)-based Frontier Airlines, which commenced flights from Atlanta, Georgia, and Orlando, Florida; Eurowings Discover coming out of Frankfurt, Germany; American Airlines’ new service out of Philadelphia; and the return of Air Transat out of Canada.

Meanwhile, Regional Director of Tourism at the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB), Odette Dyer noted there is growing interest among travel agents about Jamaica’s preparedness in the wake of COVID-19. “We had some large familiarization groups last week, coinciding with several on-island activities, including the Jamaica Invitational Pro-Am in Montego Bay, so they were able to leave knowing that we are fully prepared,” she said.

KINGSTON, Jamaica; November 22, 2021: Tourism Minister, Hon. Edmund Bartlett says his Ministry will establish Gastronomy Tourism Corridors in select areas in Kingston to leverage Jamaica's culinary tourism offerings and bolster Kingston’s position as a premier tourist destination. 

Bartlett made the announcement during the Jamaica Food and Drink Kitchen launch at the Progressive Plaza, located along Barbican Road, Kingston. 

"We want to establish Gastronomy Tourism Corridors. We have looked at the corridor from Half Way Tree to Papine. Already we have more than a hundred restaurants along that corridor, and in the middle of it all is the Gastronomy Centre of Kingston, Devon House. So we will be working together to build out this initiative. The Linkages Network, led by Carolyn McDonald-Riley, will be looking at how we can make that functional," said Minister Bartlett.

The Minister added that this corridor would also include New Kingston, which has several eateries, restaurants and hotels, primarily along Knutsford Boulevard. 

"We cannot avoid New Kingston in these discussions. Knutsford Boulevard represents itself in this regard, and it cannot be denied. So, we will have to look at not just a corridor in that sense, but in the same way, we have more than one Tourism Resilience Corridors in Jamaica. Similarly, we can look at more than one gastronomy tourism corridors in Kingston," the Minister explained. 

The gastronomy tourism corridor from Knutsford Boulevard would continue along Trafalgar Road, leading to Devon House, then to Lady Musgrave Road to encapsulate the hotels and eateries in that area. 

"We are going to ensure that Kingston takes its place as the mega tourism city – with food, entertainment, sports and knowledge as the centre of its appeal," said Bartlett. 

The Jamaica Food and Drink Kitchen is Jamaica's newest culinary initiative. It is the first of its kind on the island and boasts a gourmet market, mixology counter, fully equipped studio kitchen and entertainment deck. It will also be home to the annual Jamaica Food and Drink Festival with this year's staging – JFDF2021 'In D'Kitchen' – offering 24 culinary events over 12 days.

MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica; Friday, November 19, 2021: Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett says Jamaica is moving ahead in earnest with the implementation of its Blue Ocean Strategy for resetting the tourism industry, in order to ensure that the sector thrives in the post COVID-19 era.

“Our Blue Ocean Strategy calls for a resetting of our tourism to identify and establish innovative policies, systems, protocols, and standards that assure our visitors a safer, secure, and seamless experience while building out a new national tourism model based on a diversified portfolio of unique and authentic attractions and activities, which draw heavily on Jamaica's natural and cultural assets,” said Minister Bartlett.

He was delivering the keynote address during the opening of the 3rd Jamaica Health & Wellness Tourism Conference at the Montego Bay Convention Centre yesterday. The event is being staged by the Tourism Linkages Network (TLN), a division of the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF), and runs from November 18-19. The conference is being held under the theme: “Refresh, Reboot, Reawaken – The New World of Health and Wellness” and has brought together leaders in the health and wellness tourism industry from Jamaica and around the world through various virtual platforms.

Minister Bartlett said, in the long term, a vital component of the Blue Ocean Strategy would be “to strengthen the systems for tourism zoning and theming so that the unique characteristics of each destination area will be preserved and enhanced to support their own distinct brand appeal.”

He outlined that diversification of the tourism product was at the heart of the recovery of the industry from the devastating effect of the COVID-19 pandemic and travellers were now focused on their own health and wellness as they too seek recovery from the mental strain of the past 20 months. He suggested that as people seek out destinations that offer them comfort and relaxation from stress, there was the need to drive health and wellness even harder as one of the passion points and build products around them to bring more visitors of a diverse nature to the destination.

With this in mind, Minister Bartlett expressed the view that Jamaica was poised to benefit from the global US$4.5 trillion health and wellness tourism market with its abundance of natural assets.

“This island could well be classified as the Caribbean’s Garden of Eden with its wide selection of herbs and spices, fruits and vegetables, rivers and springs and enchanted sites of verdant countrysides and meandering landscapes. There are also our waterfalls, our beaches and spas that contribute to a feeling of wellness,” declared the Tourism Minister.

Minister Bartlett said health and wellness tourism was a dynamic sector with the techniques and products used always evolving. He was therefore pleased that the conference offered insights into the changes taking place through practical presentations and panel discussions on areas such as Global Wellness Trends and Insights; Mental Wellness; The New World of Spas; The New Wellness Traveller; Nutrition and Wellness; Investment Opportunities in the new Wellness Industry; Wellness and Music, and Wellness in the Community.

MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica; November 19, 2021: Operators in the spa sub-sector of Jamaica’s tourism industry are set to benefit from an operations manual developed to guide them in being safe, efficient and professional at what they do while tapping into the US$4.4 trillion global health and wellness industry.

The COVID-19 Safety Manual for the Jamaican Spa Sector, produced by the Tourism Linkages Network (TLN), a division of the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF), provides comprehensive guidelines and recommendations for spa operators serving the tourism sector to ensure the health and safety of employees and guests by minimizing the spread of COVID-19 during spa treatment services.

The manual’s contents follow guidelines and regulations of the Ministry of Health and Wellness, the Ministry of Tourism’s COVID-19 health and safety protocols, as well as those of the International Spa Association, the World Health Organization and the International Standards Organization.

Speaking at the virtual launch of the manual and the TLN’s Natural Skincare Product Development Workshop recently, Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett said health and wellness were the key factors driving the travel and hospitality sector as people looked to recover from nearly two years of inertia brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.

He said there was an aggressive effort worldwide to benefit from the wellness market and Jamaica was well-positioned to get a slice of the economic pie but “we must prepare and be ready to meet the demands that the post-COVID traveller will place upon every one of us.”

Many of the competing countries do not have half of the assets with which Jamaica is blessed, said Minister Bartlett, however, “COVID-19 has turned up many critical questions; a recurring one being, can visitors feel safe coming to our destination and availing themselves of all the products that we are selling them?”

He said with destination assurance now a prerequisite and a key to future tourism success, Jamaica must be committed to the promise it makes to visitors, “assuring them of an authentic, safe and seamless experience, which is respectful to the community and environment.”

Minister Bartlett underscored to the spa operators the importance of improving on the delivery of crucial areas of destination assurance with “efficiency, effectiveness, and top-class service being entrenched in all aspects of the visitor's experience.” This called for having first-rate facilities, professionally trained staff and appealing indigenous products that meet international market standards, he stated.

Minister Bartlett said it was very important that the TLN’s Health and Wellness Network had identified wellness products, especially those which can be produced locally and utilized in spas, as a core aspect of its strategy to develop Jamaica’s health and wellness tourism product.

“As a policy of the Ministry of Tourism, we are committed to the development of a tourism industry that offers an authentic Jamaican experience with its diversity of cultural norms. This embodies making available to our visitors, indigenous products created and produced by our very talented people,” he added.

Participants who attended the workshop, both online and physically at the Montego Bay Convention Centre, also heard from the Chairman of the TLN’s Health and Wellness Network, Kyle Mais, who pointed to the worldwide value of the spa industry and the many products that can be produced locally from Jamaican raw material.

They also heard from Dr. Aisha Jones, who worked with the TLN as a consultant to develop the manual. She noted that while at the outset 72 percent of travellers were very nervous about visiting a spa, 80 percent were now willing to spend more on spa treatment.

It was further outlined that the document is readily available, as interested persons can access the manual in digital format via the following link: https://bit.ly/3DBS6EQ or contact the TLN via the following email address to collect a copy: tourismlinkages@tef.gov.jm.

The Port Authority of Jamaica (PAJ) and it partners continue to bolster the restart of cruise shipping operations with the Historic Falmouth Port poised to reopen today (Sunday, November 14^th, 2021) when it welcomes the Emerald Princess, the first ship to call at the port since the suspension of operations due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This call fits aptly into the PAJ’s efforts to progressively reopen its ports island-wide within a new operational context guided by strict protocols and in accordance with health and safety guidelines that were instituted by the Ministry of Health and Wellness (MoHW). The strategy to restart operations incrementally, one port at a time has been fruitful as the Port of Ocho Rios and the Errol Flynn Marina in Port Antonio received their first ships since the suspension in August and November respectively and each reopened successfully. The model of restricting cruise passengers to specific attractions and within controlled tours approved by the MoHW and the Tourism Product Development Company (TPDCo) has worked creditably and will be implemented at all cruise ports. The primary focus of this model is to restrict interaction with locals to ensure the sustained safety of the citizens of the country which is a priority and to mitigate against the risk of the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

The Emerald Princess will call with approximately 1,719 guests and 1,061 crew. Arrangements have been made for cruise passengers to visit the craft markets in the town of Falmouth as well as visits to approved attractions including Dolphin Cove, Dunn’s River Falls and Chukka in addition to participation in other controlled tours.

Professor Gordon Shirley, President & CEO, PAJ expressed his delight at the successful phased restart of the Cruise Shipping business segment, which is one of the PAJ’s most significant income earners, and looks forward to the reopening of all ports. He stated that “the PAJ welcomes the avid interest in destination Jamaica that cruise enthusiasts globally have demonstrated, which is evidenced by the inclusion of our cruise ports on the itineraries of the major cruise lines despite the new COVID-19 cruise operations protocols and as seen with our recent prizes from the World Travel Awards and the United Kingdom’s Wave Awards.  He further stated that “there is great value to be obtained from an award-winning cruise destination like Jamaica and we (the PAJ) are even more hopeful that as a result of the investments the organization has made in cruise infrastructure this year, the calls for next year’s season will surpass those slated for this year.”

In welcoming the return of cruise shipping to Falmouth, Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett said: "The return of cruise operations to the Historic Port of Falmouth is an important step in the phased reopening of the tourism sector and it will play a major role in the recovery of the industry overall and by extension the wider economy, from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Many players in Falmouth and surrounding areas will benefit as it will facilitate the return of well-needed jobs for numerous Jamaicans who depend on cruise tourism." 

"The return of cruise shipping to Falmouth is further proof of the growing demand for Destination Jamaica. The tourism sector is rebounding well and based on current projections we expect to welcome some 75,000 cruise passengers between November and December 2021," the Minister revealed. "I would like to commend all the stakeholders who have worked together to make this possible including the Port Authority of Jamaica, the Ministry of Tourism and its public bodies as well as the Ministry of Health and Wellness," Minister Bartlett expressed.

He noted that arrangements have been made to ensure strict adherence to COVID-19 protocols instituted by the MoHW, the US Center for Disease Control (CDC) and other international partners for the safe return to cruise operations, adding that due to the risks posed by COVID-19, steps will be taken to manage the movement of cruise passengers.

William Tatham, Vice President, Cruise Shipping & Marina Operations, PAJ stated that “I am pleased with the progress of the PAJ’s cruise restart activities, and I am confident that we will deliver a safe and rewarding cruise passenger experience in Falmouth, just as we have done in Ocho Rios & Port Antonio.” He also noted that “this call at Falmouth is just another step towards a full return to cruise operations, as we are reopening one port at a time. We have been working closely with MoHW and TPDCo to ensure the safety of passengers and locals alike and each successful call leads to more calls and a widening of the opportunities. We are confident that cruise will fully recover by the 2nd quarter of next year.”

The PAJ has been working closely with the MoHW as well as the Ministry of Tourism and its select public bodies, including TPDCo and the Jamaica Vacations Ltd (JAMVAC) to ensure a safe and secure return to cruise operations at all ports to enable a general restart by early December 2021.

KINGSTON, Jamaica; November 13, 2021:  The American Caribbean Maritime Foundation (ACMF) yesterday honoured Alyse Lisk and the late Harriat ‘Harry’ Maragh, for their outstanding contributions to the shipping industry, at their annual Anchor Awards, hosted at the Fort Lauderdale Yacht Club in Florida.

Tourism Minister, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, in his remarks, hailed the honourees for their sterling contributions to the development of the maritime industry.  He also gave a special tribute to the Jamaican honouree, Harriat ‘Harry’ Maragh, for his contribution to the development of Jamaica’s tourism and shipping industries.

“The late Harry Maragh was a titan in the Jamaican and Caribbean shipping and tourism industries, yet it is well known that Harry always found time to encourage and facilitate the participation of young professionals. Many, many persons benefited from his guidance, tutelage, and mentorship,” said Bartlett.

“Despite his business success, despite his notable contribution to the growth and development of the regional shipping industry, and despite the considerable respect he commanded, Harry remained a pleasant and humble individual. The success of our tourism industry could not have been achieved without the sterling contribution of this great Jamaican, “he added.

Maragh worked closely with representatives of various public bodies within the Ministry of Tourism including the Jamaica Vacations Ltd. (JAMVAC). He also served on the Tourism Enhancement Fund’s board of directors as chair of the audit sub-committee and the human resources sub-committee from June 2012 to February 2016.

“I take great pride in the fact that he was a home-grown talent who started from humble beginnings and would go on to do great things for Jamaica. Just imagine, he started as a clerk with Lannaman & Morris and later bought the company, which today represents over 75% of all cruise lines that call on Jamaica. That is the true meaning of ‘pulling yourself up by your bootstraps,” said the Minister.

The evening’s second honouree, Alyse Lisk, is the Senior Vice President of Technology and Operational Excellence for Totem Ocean Trailer Express (TOTE) Maritime. In this role, she is responsible for ensuring operational excellence throughout the TOTE organization – including TOTE Services, TOTE Maritime Alaska and TOTE Maritime Puerto Rico – with a focus on continuous improvement by leveraging technology, people and process. Lisk joined TOTE in October 2011, where she served as Vice President of Cargo Services for seven years.

The ACMF is a non-profit organization based in New York, supporting Caribbean students studying maritime. The Foundation exists to specifically support the work of the Caribbean Maritime University (Jamaica), the University of Trinidad and Tobago, and LJM Maritime Academy (Bahamas).

It provides scholarships to Caribbean nationals who are aspiring seafarers to study maritime-related coursework and degrees; funds the building of classrooms; provides laptops to support remote study. The Foundation has also awarded 61 scholarships and grants to students from Jamaica, The Bahamas, Trinidad, Grenada, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and St. Lucia.

The Anchor Awards was attended by several Government officials and senior executives of significant cruise and cargo liners. Government officials in attendance were: Bahamian Prime Minister the Most Hon. Philip Davis; Deputy Prime Minister of the Bahamas, Hon Chester Cooper; Minister of Tourism & Investment for Antigua & Barbuda, Hon. Charles Fernandez,

Also in attendance were: Rick Sasso, CEO of MSC Cruises; Michael Bayley, CEO of Royal Caribbean International; and Rick Murrell, CEO of Saltchuk (parent company of Tropical Shipping).

“I applaud and encourage the noble work of the American Caribbean Maritime Foundation (ACMF) and its partners to alleviate poverty and transform the lives of Caribbean youth through maritime education and community development.  Your provision of academic scholarships and grants, and other educational opportunities is corporate social responsibility at its best.  It shows that economic and social profit are not mutually exclusive. They can grow side by side,” said Bartlett.