Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, says revenue from the tourism sector grew by 12.1 per cent in 2017, delivering $62.2 billion to the local economy. Mr. Bartlett, who was speaking in the 2018/19 Sectoral Debate in the House of Representatives, today (May 8), also reported that the sector is seeing an increase in employment. He noted that in 2017,...

With the traditional markets of the United States, Canada and Europe all showing growth, Jamaica could be looking at another outstanding year in tourism based on positive developments emerging from South America. Tourism Minister, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, and a Jamaican delegation, which included Chief Strategist and Advisor, Delano Seiveright, recently returned from the continent in “high spirits” based on the...

Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, says safety and security issues represent the biggest problems facing global tourism and that Jamaica and the rest of the region must never lose sight of that reality. Addressing the opening of the 33rd annual general meeting and conference of the Association of Caribbean Commissioners of Police (ACCP) in Montego Bay on April 30,...

Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, says that the Government will continue to give the Tourism Ministry and its agencies all the support they need in order to fully maximise the sector’s potential. He said that while the local industry has been performing exceptionally well, “much, much more can be done”. “The Caribbean region recorded 50 million visitors last...

Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmond Bartlett, says Jamaica continues to see major growth in tourist arrivals, with stopover and cruise-passenger arrivals standing at approximately 1.3 million for the first quarter of 2018. The January to March arrivals represent over 80,000 more visitors to the island than the corresponding period of 2017, an increase of 6.6 per cent. This is a...

Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, has announced plans to restructure the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF) to operate as a centre for innovation. Mr. Bartlett explained that the objective is to reposition the agency to better enable the tourism industry to respond to the needs of the ever-changing global market, and drive the Ministry’s mission to foster significant growth and...

The island’s tourism product has been boosted with the graduation of the first cohort of 150 certified hospitality workers from the Jamaica Centre of Tourism Innovation (JCTI). The JCTI, which was created to increase access to certification for recent graduates as well as workers in the industry, saw, for the first time, persons being accredited as Hospitality Supervisors and in...