Five thousand Jamaicans are expected to gain employment in the tourism industry through the construction of four hotels, to cost some US$250 million, over the coming months. Of the four hotels, two will be located in Trelawny, one in Kingston, and the other in Port Antonio. Addressing the press launch of a revitalised ‘Spruce Up Jamaica’ initiative at the Devonshire,...

Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, says Jamaica stands to benefit tremendously from the high-end luxury tourism market, noting that there is a lot of investor interest for the destination. Fresh from his one-week stint in Spain where he attended the FITUR Trade Fair, the largest international tourism trade show for inbound and outbound Ibero American markets, Mr. Bartlett told...

Chairman of the National Cruise Council (NCC), Michael Belnavis, is describing the start of the cruise-shipping season as phenomenal, noting that the island’s main ports have been seeing a huge increase in arrivals. According to Mr. Belnavis, the ports of Montego Bay, Falmouth and Ocho Rios have been simultaneously receiving almost two ships per day, a noticeable jump from what...

Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, says the establishment of a craft institute and the building of a school of hospitality to train tourism workers should be beneficial to Jamaica. According to the Minister, both ventures will coincide with the expected growth within the sector and the need for Jamaican workers to be ready to capitalise on available opportunities. “The...

Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, says plans to establish a hospitality school and a craft development institute complete the Government’s “circle” of strategies for achieving growth in the tourism sector. “This closes the circle of the five pillars of growth,” he said, as he addressed a post-Cabinet press briefing at Jamaica House on January 11. The Government is seeking...

The Government has partnered with professionals from international tourism training institutions for the design and development of a hospitality school, which is set to be opened in 2018. Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, said Professor Emeritus of Management and Tourism Studies, George Washington University, Donald Hawkins, will be leading a team tasked with developing the design of the institution...

The Government will, in partnership with the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts, be establishing a Craft Development Institute (CDI), to be completed for September 2018. Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, addressing a post-Cabinet press briefing at Jamaica House on January 11, said work on what is to be the first institute for craft development in...