Tourism Minister, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, says the interests of small and medium tourism enterprises (SMTEs) must be safeguarded to ensure the industry’s sustainability. He contended that achieving this requires SMTEs being fully leveraged to build sustainable economies in tourism-dependent nations. “Nowhere do we understand this more than here in Jamaica, as a member of the most tourism-dependent region in the...

Tourism Minister, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, is encouraging Caribbean leaders to collaborate on ways to collectively strengthen tourism across the region. He contends that while there is high demand for the product, collaboration will further boost its allure and competitiveness. The Minister was speaking at the 26th World Travel Awards (WTA) Caribbean and North America Gala Ceremony at Sandals Montego Bay...

Tourism Minister, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, says product diversification by industry stakeholders is pivotal to further boosting Jamaica’s global competitiveness, and successfully tapping into new markets. He told JIS News in a recent interview that international travellers are becoming increasingly demanding and have higher expectations of the destinations they visit or plan to travel. “International tourism trends are showing a shift...

Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, says the new S Hotel in Montego Bay, St. James, represents the “dawn of a new era” for the city’s business community. Mr. Holness, who was speaking at the hotel’s opening on January 27, said he was confident that the establishment will enhance Montego Bay’s status as a resort city and Jamaica’s tourism...

Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, is encouraging hoteliers to tap into the niche market of special needs tourism and provide services to members of the disabled community. Speaking at a recent JIS ‘Think Tank’, the Minister said that some of the small hotels that are not competitive in the landscape could very well morph into specific areas for special...

Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, says the tourism sector should achieve full compliance with the ban on single-use plastics by the end of this fiscal year (March 31). Mr. Bartlett was speaking at a recent JIS ‘Think Tank’, held at the agency’s headquarters in Kingston. He described the move by the Government to ban some single-use plastics as seminal,...

Tourism Minister, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, says several key targets have been shortlisted for delivery by the Global Tourism Resilience and Crisis Management Centre over the next six months. These, he said, are: publication of an academic journal on resilience and global disruptions; drafting of a blueprint for resilience; creation of a resilience barometer; and establishment of an Academic Chair for...