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The Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association’s (JHTA) 2011 Caribbean Marketplace ended recently with just under 12,000 appointments made between buyers and sellers, at the new, state-of-the-art Montego Bay Convention Centre in Rose Hall, St. James. The event, held January 16 to 18, was the first to be staged at the 84,000 square feet convention centre with a capacity of up...

As Jamaica moves to implement casino gaming, Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, has said that the Government expects to award the first casino licence this year and construction on the island’s first casino is expected to commence by year-end. "This year, our casino dream will definitely begin to unfold in a more positive and practical way. We expect that...

Caribbean tourism ministers have pledged to work more closely for the development of the region's tourism sector. Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, in his address at the opening of Caribbean Marketplace 2011 on Sunday January 16 at the Montego Bay Convention Centre in St. James, said that following a meeting held earlier in the day, the ministers committed to...

Jamaica to host the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism investment conference in May this year. This premier event focuses on the boundless opportunities for tourism related investments in the Caribbean, in hotels, attractions and the supply of goods and services. Prime Minister Bruce Golding made the disclosure January 16 when he officially declared open the two day Caribbean marketplace ceremony and...

Prime Minister Bruce Golding says the decision to transform the Boscobel Aerodrome now expanded and re-named the Ian Fleming international port of entry, was a strategic decision taken to upgrade it to handle small jets, international arrivals and to attract the high end of the tourist market. He said government recognised that there are segments of the leisure market that we...

The Ministry of Tourism and the Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF) have signed a US$15 million contract for the establishment of a community-based tourism policy. The policy, which is being implemented under the Rural Economic Development Initiative (REDI) project, is funded by the World Bank and the Government of Jamaica through a US$15 million loan being invested over six years....

Despite the challenges of the global economic crisis, Jamaica's tourism sector continues to register growth, recording a 6.8 percent increase in stop over arrival figures for the fourth quarter, October to December, of 2010 when compared to the same period of 2009. Tourism Minister the Hon. Edmund Bartlett in making the disclosure noted that Jamaica's performance in stop-over arrivals have...

Prime Minister Bruce Golding says there will be a major boost to tourism with the opening next week of two new facilities. In his New Year Message, Mr. Golding said the Port of Falmouth will receive its first cruise ship on January 7 and the Montego Bay Convention Centre will be officially declared open. "Construction of the new Port of...

A new Cruise Liner, 'Thompson Dream', with about 1,700 passengers from the United Kingdom, made its inaugural trip to Jamaica docking at the Montego Bay Freeport's shipping pier on Thursday (December 30). Director General in the Ministry of Tourism, Carrole Guntley, led a team of officials from the Ministry and the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB), to welcome the crew and...

Minister of Tourism, the Hon. Edmund Bartlett is expressing regret at the passing of an Argentinean tourist who died in St. Ann last night in the aftermath of a suspected case of food poisoning, which also left several other visitors and Jamaicans hospitalized. The deceased was a member of a group which was vacationing at a villa in St. Mary....

Tourism Minister, the Hon. Edmund Bartlett has appointed a nine-man Tourism Advisory Council with the mandate of assisting in the shaping and implementation of policies for the tourism industry. The Council includes some of Jamaica's most successful tourism and business professionals. The members are Group Managing Director of Lascelles deMercado and Company, Mr. William McConnell, hoteliers Gordon "Butch" Stewart, Chairman...

The tourist industry will welcome increased AirTran Airways service for the winter season, from the Thurgood Marshall Baltimore/Washington International (BWI) airport, beginning February 26, 2011. The additional flight, which will operate between Baltimore/Washington and Montego Bay on Saturdays and Sundays, runs through May 1, 2011. Director of Tourism, John Lynch, welcomes the additional service. "The additional nonstop flight from AirTran,...