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KINGSTON — Tourism Minister, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, says that coming out of recent discussions with representatives of the United Kingdom (UK) Government, there is possibility that the Air Passenger Duty (APD) band system could be revised, in favour of a more equitable scheme that would not put the Caribbean region at a disadvantage with the United States (US). Mr. Bartlett...

KINGSTON — Prospects for the local tourism industry remain positive, despite the downturn in the sector globally, with some 1,044,137 airlift seats secured for the upcoming winter tourist season. This represents an increase of 5.6 per cent over 2010, and a 4.7 increase over the 2011 season, Tourism Minister, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, told members of the business community and other...

Minister of Tourism, the Hon. Edmund Bartlett, completed his visit to the UK this week with a community meeting at the Jamaica High Commission in London. The event was an opportunity for Minister Bartlett to highlight the 50th Anniversary of Independence taking place next year and the importance of the Jamaican Diaspora in the UK in stimulating interest in the...

KINGSTON — Deputy Director, Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB), Jason Hall, says the agency has targeted the sport of golf as a strategic growth area, and as one of the key pillars of the integrated sports strategy, currently being developed in collaboration with the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture. Speaking at the media launch for this year's 48th LIME Jamaica...

MONTEGO BAY — With billions to be invested in the tourism industry over the next few years and more than 20,000 jobs to be created, Prime Minister, Hon. Andrew Holness, says the outlook for the sector remains positive. "Another 15,825 new rooms are expected to be completed between 2011 and 2013, translating into an estimated 21,000 new jobs and this...

KINGSTON — Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, has said that any existing resorts seeking to get casino licences would have to meet the necessary investment and expansion requirements as stipulated in the casino gaming legislation. He was speaking against the background of two companion measures – the Casino (Application for Declaration of Approved Integrated Resort Development) regulations 2011; and...

KINGSTON — The House of Representatives has approved two sets of casino gaming regulations dealing with applications, and the games and manner of operations. Tabling the companion measures on October 18 sitting at the Jamaica Conference Centre downtown Kingston, Minister of Finance, Hon. Audley Shaw, explained that the regulations are being presented to Parliament at this time in order to...

The Ministry of Tourism through its agency the Tourism Product Development Company, TPDCo is currently training some 600 Jamaica Customs Department employees as part of that department’s push to enhance and improve customer service at all levels. The training forms part of Jamaica Customs' paradigm shift from a government entity to an Executive Agency and will see TPDCo designing and...

KINGSTON — Chairman of the Tourism Product Development Company (TPDCo), Robert Russell, said that the tourism industry continues to show improvement in service delivery, which augers well for the growth of the sector. "This remains an encouraging indicator in light of our thrust to continue to improve our service offering and to ultimately make high-touch service the standard within our...

KINGSTON — The Ministry of Tourism, through the Tourism Product Development Company (TPDCo), has launched an extensive public awareness HIV/AIDS campaign in an effort to reduce risky sexual behaviour within the sector. Portfolio Minister, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, said the campaign will not only seek to promote HIV/AIDS awareness within the workplace, but will also aim to eliminate the stigma and...

MONTEGO BAY — President of the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA), Evelyn Smith, has described the recent Jamaica Product Exchange (JAPEX), as a "great success." The three-day annual hospitality and tourism trade show was held at the Montego Bay Convention Centre in Rose Hall, St. James,  from September 18 to 20, with more than  1,000 buyers, suppliers, overseas travel...

KINGSTON — The Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF) has partnered with the Ministry of Tourism (MOT) on a policy and strategy framework for community-based tourism projects in Jamaica. The initiative should significantly boost community tourism, using a collective approach in designing a programme to improve and standardize this aspect of the industry. Speaking at the launch of the national consultation...