London, United Kingdom – August 9, 2017: Headlining a packed dinner with United Kingdom (UK) Travel Industry executives in London, Tourism Minister, Edmund Bartlett charged them to increase to 250,000 the number of UK stopover tourist arrivals to Jamaica, thereby exceeding Barbados as the leading Caribbean destination for British visitors.

Last year Jamaica saw 210,000 tourists from the UK, just a few thousand less than the 218,000 UK stopover visitors to Barbados, that country’s main source market for tourists and historically the favourite in the Caribbean for Brits.

Minister Bartlett, speaking at a dinner at the popular Boisdale restaurant in London’s busy financial district, Canary Wharf, charged UK Travel executives to aggressively build on last year’s 5.8 percent growth and the near 40 percent growth in British tourists visiting Jamaica over the last three years.

“Jamaica is hot. With a repeat visitor rate of 40 percent and a surge in wedding and honeymoon UK vacationers, including Prince Harry and dozens of his friends coming to Jamaica recently, we can easily eclipse our friendly neighbor Barbados, commonly known as Little England, as the number one destination for Brits in the Caribbean,”  Bartlett noted.

Bartlett is leading a small team of tourism officials to London, UK for a blitz of engagements with industry stakeholders across the airline, hotel, tour operator, travel agency and media sectors. The visit is timed with IAAF World Championships at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in London.

As part of promotional efforts timed with the Championships, the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) in conjunction with travel industry partners had 150 of London’s famed black taxi cabs emblazoned with the moniker Less Traffic and More Jammin coupled with colourful Jamaica-themed images depicting an inviting scene of the island. Additionally, the JTB has pushed and sponsored Jamaica Garden Terrace at the popular Scottish-influenced Boisdale Restaurant featuring Jamaican food as well as musical performances from well-known Jamaican artistes. Over a 120,000 people work in close proximity to the Terrace, an area with headquarters to many well-known banks, financial institutions and professional services firms such as Barclays, Citigroup, HSBC, JP Morgan, KPMG, Morgan Stanley, RBC and Reuters to name a few.

Bartlett is accompanied by Chairman of the JTB, John Lynch; Director of Tourism, Paul Pennicook,  Senior Advisor/Strategist, Delano Seiveright and Deputy Director Marcia McLaughlin along with JTB officials based in the UK.

MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica; July 31, 2017: Having spent $2.8 billion from the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF) in the Montego Bay area over the last ten years, the Ministry of Tourism is ploughing an additional $1.2 billion over the next four years to enhance the physical appearance of the resort town.

The Ministry’s commitment to support Montego Bay as the island’s largest resort area and the fastest growing city in the Caribbean was spelt out by Tourism Minister, Hon Edmund Bartlett on Friday (July 28, 2017), at the Royal Decameron Hotel. The Invest Mobay breakfast forum hosted by the Montego Bay Chamber of Commerce and industry, looked at “Unlocking the Opportunities in Tourism - Reviving the Hip Strip.”

With the money being provided by TEF, through development agencies such as the Urban Development Corporation (UDC), “we’re going to be reconfiguring the entire area from Dump Up Beach straight through to Dead End, which includes the Hip Strip” said Minister Bartlett. The area earmarked spans the coastline from Pier 1, going east along Howard Cooke Boulevard, Gloucester Avenue and Kent Avenue.

Underscoring the importance of partnerships, he said “the private and public sectors together have combined to create a new-look experience that is going to define a new attraction and indeed a new presence of Montego Bay in the global tourism market,” said the minister.

Among the projects to be funded by TEF are $600 million for the creation of a closed harbour park, $35 million to resurface the road from Summit Police Station on Sunset Boulevard to Dead End on Kent Avenue. Also, utility wires along the Hip Strip will be relocated underground.

Montego Bay’s streets are also receiving attention, with $60 million provided by TEF to be spent by November through the municipal corporation. As part of this programme, further attention will be given to the airport round-about.

Underlying what is being done, Minister Bartlett said that, “Jamaica and Montego Bay must become the centre of beauty and aesthetic in the Caribbean.” To further this cause, landscaping of the Elegant Corridor, east from the airport to Greenwood, will be done at a cost of $252 million. The Flanker community is also listed among projects to be undertaken with a special $40 million programme on the drawing table.   

At the same time, the Montego Bay Convention Center is being refurbished at a cost of $200 million “to make it fit for purpose” in time for the UNWTO World Conference on Sustainable Tourism November 27 to 29, this year and further afield, water distribution for communities around Montego Bay is to be improved with $120 million provided by TEF. A contract was signed on Thursday (July 27, 2017) with Rural Water Supply, to expand the Canaan source, to improve distribution to communities such as Orange, Irwin Heights, Johns Hall and Amity Hall.

Also, the communities of Lilliput, Grange Pen, Greenwood and Barrett Hall will be able to access electricity supply legally with the implementation of a $125 million squatter upgrading and Rural Electrification Programme.

Minister Bartlett said, though all this effort augured well for the improvement of social and physical infrastructure, while building out the economic framework for the development of the Montego Bay community, more needed to be done and the Ministry of Tourism was working with the Ministry of National Security on addressing penal reconstruction  along safety and security.

Minister Bartlett informed the forum that, as the most important tourism city in the English-speaking Caribbean, Montego Bay represented some 35 percent of the national tourism product and with a national target of the industry earning US$5 billion by 2021 Montego Bay should be providing 20 percent of that.

KINGSTON, Jamaica; July 27, 2017: Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett says more Jamaicans need to own the inputs of tourism so that the country can benefit from a raise in the level of retention of earnings from the industry.

Speaking at the third staging of the Tourism Linkages Network’s ‘Christmas in July’ event at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel, Minister Bartlett shared that his Ministry is pushing the Linkages initiative to tackle the industry’s leakages by encouraging greater production of local products and facilitating direct networking opportunities for local producers.

“The strong linkages established today between producers and buyers are important to our economic development. As it is the world over, micro, small and medium tourism enterprises are vital because 80% of global tourism is driven by them. If we are to seriously talk about retaining the revenue from tourism then we have to build out the capacity of this 80% to drive more creative output and be able to deliver on the demand that tourism brings,” said Minister Bartlett. 

The Minister therefore applauded the event organizers for successfully bringing together some 120 local producers of authentic gift and souvenir items – 80 of which were new to the exhibition – to showcase their products to corporate executives and industry players.

The Christmas in July exhibition is a collaborative effort of the Ministry’s Tourism Linkages Network and its partners, the Jamaica Business Development Corporation (JBDC), Jamaica Promotions Corporation (JAMPRO), Jamaica Manufacturers’ Association (JMA), and the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA).

Products on display included traditional souvenirs of all kinds, such as corporate, home and decorative accessories; desktop solutions; specialty foods and aromatherapy products.

“The items on display today are an authentic expression of our Jamaican men and women who use their hands to tell the story of our rich, local culture. Based on what I can see around me, I am sure that this year’s staging of Christmas in July will be equally successful, if not better,” said the Minister.

Sharing in the sentiments of the Minister, exhibitors were equally excited about being involved in this year’s staging of the Ministry of Tourism’s Christmas in July event and praised the event as being a major success.

“Christmas in July is a great gateway to get your products out there and gain market access. We came back this year, hoping that we would get some more prospects for retail outlets. So far we have gotten one and even have other prospective retailers,” said Aviola Accessories proprietor, Melissa Preddie.

Buyers were equally impressed with the offerings and the potential the event has for leveraging business prospects for local producers.

“I think it’s wonderful. It’s a good display for upcoming businesses, young entrepreneurs and even businesses that have not been in the forefront. I see very creative products and I hope that it reaches the people it needs to reach and reduces the manufacturers who copy our Jamaican branded items worldwide, for their benefit,” said Paulette Lewis.

Minister of Tourism, the Hon. Edmund Bartlett and Mr. Earl Jarrett, chief executive officer of The Jamaica National Group (JN Group) yesterday, July 26, 2017, signed an agreement under which the JN Group will provide planning, management and execution services for mounting of the United Nations World Tourism Organization’s (UNWTO) International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development Conference, from November 27 to 29 at the Montego Bay Convention Centre, St. James.

Minister Bartlett was speaking at the signing ceremony, during the Jamaica 55 Diaspora Conference, at the Jamaica Conference Centre, downtown Kingston.  The Tourism Minister said that this is the first time in the history of the UNWTO that the private and public sectors will be working together, in collaboration with multi-lateral financial institutions, to stage an event of this nature.  The event is also of great historical importance because it signals the first time that the UNWTO will stage a world conference on tourism in the Caribbean or Americas.

“The conference in November will address an imbalance in the global funding of tourism activities and development,” Minister Bartlett underlined.  “Despite the powerhouse impact that tourism is having on the world economy, there is a disproportionate flow of funding and financing, and this is happening, although 80 percent of tourism is driven by small and medium countries.”

The World Bank Group and donor countries, through their specific investment arms, are participating in the conference through panels that will explore various areas of sustainability; and, how projects and financing can be generated for small and medium players in the global tourism sector.

The Minister said the main outcome of the conference will be the Declaration of Montego Bay, which will inform the next millennial goals of the United Nations and form the basis of the next major publication of the UNWTO’s Sustainable Development strategies.

He congratulated The JN Group for the role that it has played in the growth and development of the Jamaican economy and acknowledged that the company will be responsible for managing the logistics of the conference.

Earl Jarrett said his company decided to undertake this project because JN is vested in the development of Jamaica.   “The JN Group comprises 30 companies, one of which is the MCS Group, and our team of professionals has the experience, knowledge and skills to deliver a successful conference.   We are proud to have been selected by the Ministry and are confident that our team will be equal to the task.”

Managing Director of the MCS Group, Ms Onika Miller, noted, “We welcome the opportunity to participate in this public-private sector partnership, working with the Ministry of Tourism and other government and tourism partners, who are serving on the many conference planning committees.  Strong partnerships such as this can help our nation to meet growth targets and national development goals”.  She pointed out that the JN team will be responsible for project and event management, communication, branding and coordination of volunteers.

KINGSTON, Jamaica; July 25, 2017:  Efforts to bolster Devon House as the epicentre of Gastronomy in Kingston have been increased, with the official opening of an expanded ‘I-Scream’ parlour on the North Lawns of the property on July 24, 2017.  

The new property was created to address growing public concerns about the wait time to purchase ice cream, especially on weekends and public holidays. The project received $28 million from the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF) to build a brand new 5,000 square feet facility, which doubles the size of its previously located courtyard and kiosk outlets on the property.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett shared that the new parlour is a mere fraction of the culinary tourism plans his Ministry has in place for the iconic Devon House facility.

“I want to indicate to you that a few weeks ago we launched the gastronomy centre of the Caribbean right here at Devon House, and that we have intentions to build out a Caribbean experience that will involve culinary tourism. We want to ensure that when you leave Devon House you will not only have ice cream but all the other delicacies which have come out of the confluence of cultures and ethnicities of our people,” said Minister Bartlett.

The Minister further explained that the vision of the Devon House cultural experience as well as the iconic ‘I-Scream’ brand was that of former Prime Minister of Jamaica, the Most Hon. Edward Seaga.

Mr. Seaga, who was on hand for the ceremony, explained that Devon House was built around the concept of things Jamaican and within this was the element of different foods and drinks. He also disclosed that he played a key role in preventing the property from being demolished while ensuring that it would remain a Jamaican experience for tourists to enjoy in its authentic state for years to come.

“Tonight I am very glad to see what has been done with Devon House. I want to, in particular, commend the Minister of Tourism for seeing what I had in mind and giving it his blessing by continuing it,” said Mr. Seaga.

As it relates to the ice cream brand in particular, he disclosed that in its inception he charged Carol Clarke-Webster, head of Scoops Un-Limited Limited, to develop a creamier ice cream recipe that would make the product unique. He also shared that he was responsible for naming the ice cream brand.

“When I was a youngster my father used to say ‘I scream, you scream, we all scream’ and I said but wait that sounds like a very good thing, we can name the ice cream parlour after that – and that’s what happened,” recalled Mr. Seaga.

The project forms part of a much larger financial commitment from TEF – $151 million since 2012 – to refurbish Devon House and make it financially sustainable. The execution of the project, on the other hand, which also included a new walk way and rest rooms for patrons and staff, was managed by the Tourism Product Development Company (TPDCo).

MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica, Monday, July 17, 2017: The Ministry of Tourism, through its Linkages Network, is encouraging the tourism sector to make greater use of technology to enhance guest experience.

A ground-breaking move in that direction was made on Thursday (July 13) when the Knowledge Network of the Tourism Linkages Network partnered with Digicel Business to host “Smart Destination Jamaica:  A Preview of the Latest Technology in Tourism,” a think tank and forum that discussed and demonstrated some of the latest technological trends globally being employed in the hospitality industry.

The four-hour event, which was held at the Montego Bay Convention Centre, attracted nearly 350 participants from tourism and allied sectors. They were given a close insight into how managed technology can boost guest satisfaction and provide management with data-driven marketing tools by high-tech service providers HP Aruba, Avaya, Buddy and Digicel.

Delivering the keynote address, Minister of Tourism, Hon Edmund Bartlett underscored the importance of technology as a driving force in knowledge and innovation, which have been changing the way in which business models were being conducted and “changing the way in which we understand things.”

He said the event was intended “to look at how the technologies have been impacting tourism and what it is going to mean for the architecture that will emerge in the tourism space.” Minister Bartlett lauded the initiative as a bold step by the Knowledge Network to bring the players and purveyors together with stakeholders “who are deeply interested in uniting the new values that this technology will bring to make us fit for purpose and more so, remain fashionable and relevant.” The Knowledge Network is chaired by Digicel Jamaica Chief Executive Officer David Butler. 

Minister Bartlett spoke to the need for Jamaica to enable the concept of “smart destination, innovation for tourism development and management” as a key area that would be redefining tourism in a profound way.

According to Minister Bartlett, “ICT has become an enabler for sustainable development globally and as the world’s natural resources become more and more finite, we can use ICT to dematerialise the economy. This would mean moving away from a business model that is based on products and things and towards a business model based on service.”

Regarding the use of Apps to benefit all sectors that support the tourist industry, the Tourism Minister referred to the linkage with the agricultural sector as an example of what is being pursued and noted the intention to use funding support to provide assistance to the small farmers to be able to access an App so that connectivity can be achieved anywhere in Jamaica where there is supply.

Chairman of the Tourism Linkages Network, Adam Stewart stressed that with 94 percent of today’s travellers requiring WiFi this service must be seen as a must in all areas of a hotel. There was also consensus on the need to use information available on guests to improve the visitor experience and also increase both guestroom revenues and ancillary room revenues. For instanc, smart check-in, whereby on arrival at the hotel guests can go directly to their rooms and use their cell phones to gain entry and receive information about services.

The Knowledge Network is one of five networks implemented by the Ministry of Tourism to further diversify the island’s tourism product and secure higher yields per visitor, while building a competitive industry and creating more jobs for Jamaicans. The other networks are Gastronomy, Shopping, Sports and Entertainment and Health and Wellness.

MONTEGO BAY, June 15, 2017: Jamaica’s tourism industry marked a historical milestone today with Minister of Tourism, Hon Edmund Bartlett welcoming the millionth stop-over visitor to the island for the year to date.  In tandem with this landmark achievement, the tourism sector has earned in excess of US$1.2 billion for the same period.

“This is the first time ever that we have recorded a million stop over arrivals before the middle of the year. We are very excited about that because it feeds into the growth projections that we have,” said Minister Bartlett after greeting Paulette Murray and her husband Henry, who arrived at the Sangster International Airport (SIA) on an American Airlines flight out of Philadelphia, USA. The Henrys, who are here on their fourth visit, are in Jamaica for a family vacation.

Earlier it was projected that the millionth visitor would arrive on or about the end of June. However, Bartlett said all projections were being exceeded and at the end of May there were 970,000 visitors, rising sharply to today’s million.

He said this was significant, “not only because it means a million opportunities are provided for jobs and for earnings but it also helps to quantify the actual revenue flow in foreign exchange into the country and I’m very pleased to announce therefore that for the first time in our history, before the end of June, in any year, we have achieved one million visitor arrivals and earned in excess of US$1.2 billion.”

He said incrementally, on top of last year’s tourism earnings, an additional J$850 million had gone into the Jamaican economy, “And it tells me that tourism does have the potential to drive economic growth and to bring foreign exchange into the country and create stability.”

Minister Bartlett added, “We’re excited about what can happen to an economy like Jamaica where investment, remittance and tourism can combine to give foreign exchange security.” Last year remittance was just over US$2.2 billion while tourism produced US$2.5 billion and foreign direct investment (FDI) was well over US$500 million.

NEW YORK, NY – June 6, 2017 – The regional tourism industry is set to take centerstage during the UNWTO, Government of Jamaica and World Bank Group Conference on Jobs & Inclusive Growth: Partnerships for Sustainable Tourism, at the Montego Bay Convention Centre, St. James, November 27-29, 2017. Speaking at a press conference on June 6 at the Consulate General of Jamaica during Caribbean Week in New York, Minister of Tourism, the Honourable Edmund Bartlett noted that given the region’s dependency on tourism, it was important that such a conference provide solutions on how the Caribbean can better leverage this industry.

“The conference programme, though global in nature, is highly significant to the Caribbean. And therefore, we felt that we should incorporate a programme specific to the Caribbean and some of the issues we grapple with. This programme will take place on the first day of the conference on November 27,” noted Minister Bartlett.

With the regional focus on opening day, the Ministry of Tourism received the endorsement of the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) from Secretary General Hugh Riley and the Caribbean Hotel and Tourist Association (CHTA) by way of Chief Marketing Officer Matt Cooper.

Minister Bartlett stated that tourism is the single largest generator of foreign exchange in 16 of the 28 countries in the Caribbean and the sector receiving the most foreign direct investment (FDI), adding that the region has a higher proportion of total employment and percentage of GDP derived from tourism than any other region in the world.

According to the Tourism Minister, “It is estimated that 1 in every 4 persons is employed by tourism-related activities and the sector accounts for 41% of all exports and services in the Caribbean and 31% of all gross domestic product”.

Additionally, Minister Bartlett indicated that similar to what was done with the global aspect of the conference, the organizers have included a number of Caribbean themes within the Call for Papers, which cover tourism and sustainability, where the threats, risks and challenges will be discussed; the strengthening of the human capital and human capital trends; the tourism value chain linkages and technology and innovation.

According to Minister Bartlett, one of key expected outcomes from this global conference is the Montego Bay Declaration. “At the end of the conference, there will be the compilation of the Draft Montego Bay Declaration. From this will flow an action plan for tourism destinations to follow, as well as the publication of the second volume of the UNWTO Global Report on Public Private Partnerships”.

The Tourism Minister also announced that the Conference will be used to pay tribute to the current UNWTO Secretary General Dr. Taleb Rifai whose tenure comes to an end. “Although he will have his formal send-off in December, the UNWTO has allowed us to utilize this opportunity for the more emotional and “irie” send-off,” noted Bartlett.

Another feature of the conference will be the presentation of the Caribbean Legends Awards, the first of its kind, which will be a collaborative effort involving the Ministry of Tourism of Jamaica, the CTO and the CHTA, supported by UNWTO. These awards, in the categories of Land, Sea and Air, will be given to individuals that have made an indelible mark on the tourism industry, not just regionally, but globally, enhancing the Caribbean brand.

Minister Bartlett departed the island to attend CTO Caribbean Week on June 5, 2017 and will return on June 11, 2017. He is accompanied by his Senior Communications Strategist, Delano Seiveright.

MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica, Monday, June 5, 2017: With earnings for the first four months of this year at an all-time high of over US$1 billion, or a 6.5 per cent increase over last year, Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett announced yesterday (June 4) that Jamaica’s tourism industry is heading for a historic one million visitors before the end of this month.

 “We are closing in on the first half of 2017 and we ended the month of May with a record 8.7 per cent increase in stop-overs over the same month last year,” said Minister Bartlett. The 971,000 passengers brought in was just 30,000 shy of the first million target which, he said, will be reached by mid-June “and when that happens it will be  a record because it will be the first time in our history that we will make a million visitors before the end of June.”

He was speaking at an official welcome event for the inauguration of Southwest Airlines newest service, non-stop flights from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to the Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay. This brings to four the number of US gateways being operated by Southwest to Jamaica since commencing international flights here in 2014.

Minister Bartlett, who arrived on the Southwest inaugural flight along with Director of Tourism Paul Pennicook, Southwest’s Vice President, Diversity and Inclusion, Ellen Torbert and other Southwest executives, hailed the airline as the most connected airline in the USA today.  “Southwest is moving from more gateways and secondary airports than any other airline in the US and therefore the connection with Jamaica is perfect,” he said. The low-cost US carrier moves 120 million passengers annually.

Minister Bartlett said his Ministry and its agencies were working diligently to provide a product and a service that both meets and exceed the expectations of Jamaica’s visitors and tourism partners. He said steps are being taken to ensure the availability of first-class accommodation as well as a safe, secure and seamless visitor experience, noting that destination assurance was crucial ensuring sustained growth.

Accommodation is also being increased by attracting new hotel investments and Montego Bay can look forward to increasing room count by 1000 new rooms this year and over 2,000 in the next four years.

Meanwhile, Chief Executive Officer of MBJ Airports, Dr Rafael Echevarne said some $100 million would be spent on the Sangster International Airport over the next few years to improve services.

“This is an exciting time for MBJ because we are initiating the third phase of our development at the airport,” he said. That includes improving infrastructure on the ramp site such as the apron and taxiway, but also, he noted, “we’re doing runway extension, the terminal extension, renovation of the commercial facilities and many other things, including very important works with immigration to ensure that the experience entering Jamaica is as smooth as possible.”

Southwest VP Ms. Torbert said the addition of the new route signals an all-time summer records of six departures a day to Jamaica with the other flights out of Baltimore/Washington, Chicago, Orlando and Houston.

KINGSTON, Jamaica; May 7, 2017:  Minister of Tourism, Hon Edmund Bartlett will be holding discussions with leading experts in gastronomy at the United Nations World Tourism Organization’s (UNWTO) World Forum on Gastronomy Tourism, taking place in Donostia, San Sebastian, Spain, from May 8-9, 2017.  He says these discussions will be vital to the further development of the gastronomy product locally.

“Gastronomy is one of the fastest growing reasons for people to travel. In fact, the international gastronomy market is approximately US$150 billion.  Therefore, as we continue to position Jamaica as an ideal destination for food tourism, through the Tourism Linkages Network, I believe we still have room to grow the market and ensure that every Jamaican can reap the benefits – which is why this forum is important,” said Minister Bartlett.

According to the UNWTO, the Forum on Gastronomy Tourism will provide an opportunity for leading experts in gastronomy tourism to discuss the current situation and challenges in Gastronomy Tourism worldwide, inclusive of areas of management and innovation in the sector.  

The forum will be held in a new format, with different events being held in various gastronomy hubs across the Basque Country, showcasing the variation of products offered. 

“While the discussions at the forum are of particular interest to me, I am equally pleased that the event will be hosted at the world-renowned Basque Culinary Centre. This is an institution which has a very similar teaching style to what I hope to establish in Jamaica through the Jamaica Centre for Tourism Innovation (JCTI), which we will be establishing in the island next year,” shared Minister Bartlett.

The JCTI will serve to accelerate the transformation of tourism enterprises by engaging institutions and persons to stimulate and initiate new ideas as well as harnessing science and technology to transfer knowledge into practice within the sector.

Much like Basque, the institution will operate like a laboratory where students will get hands-on experience in a modern institution that also offers training to acquire internationally recognized academic credentials and certification.

While in Spain, the Minister will also be attending the the 105th Session of the UNWTO Executive Council, where in his capacity as chairman of the UNWTO’s executive council for affiliates, he will lobby for one of the fiveseats allocated to the Regional Commission of the Americas for the period 2018-2021. 

He will also use his trip to conduct a series of promotional activities for the ‘UNWTO, Government of Jamaica and World Bank Group Conference on Jobs & Inclusive Growth: Partnerships for Sustainable Tourism’, which will be held in November at the Montego Bay Convention Centre.

The Minister departed the island yesterday (May 06) to attend the gastronomy forum in San Sebastian and was joined by the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary Jennifer Griffith. He will to return to the island on May 13, 2017.