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Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, on Saturday (August 28) welcomed to Montego Bay, the country's one millionth visitor for 2010, Mrs. Angella Wilson, and her husband Mr. Aaron Wilson from New York, United States. The couple, who were visiting Jamaica together for the first time, was excited about the special surprise reception and said that they were looking forward...

The Urban Development Corporation (UDC) continues in its quest to keep the Trelawny community, in general, and the Falmouth community, in particular, fully aware of the developments slated to take place in the town of Falmouth, through continued consultations and joint planning meetings with residents. The latest Falmouth Stakeholders Consultation and Planning Meeting was held at the Breezes Resort and...

Over 1,000 students from six countries across the world are participating in a three-day International Youth Fellowship (IYF) Camp at the Sunset Jamaica Grande in Ocho Rios, St. Ann. The camp, which is being held for the first time in Jamaica, seeks to enrich and strengthen the hearts, minds and bodies of the youth, while promoting unity. Addressing the official...

Minister of Tourism, Hon Edmund Bartlett, has voiced his displeasure about the way the landscaping at the proposed public park, at the Old Hospital site, Gloucester Avenue, Montego Bay, is being done. Mr. Bartlett stated that he has instructed the administrators at the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF), the financiers of the project, not to pay over any more money to...

Director of the National Insurance Scheme (NIS), Denzil Thorpe, is reminding NIS contributors that effective August 2010, persons who earn more than $500,000 per annum will be required to contribute more to the scheme. Speaking at a JIS 'Think Tank' on August 19, Mr. Thorpe said that the increase in contributions is one of the recommendations arising from an actuarial...

The Tourism Product Development Company (TPDCo), the agency of government charged with developing and improving the island's tourism product, is placing emphasis on community-based tourism as a means of attracting more visitors to the island. Addressing the Manchester Development Committee's quarterly meeting on July 28 at the Ridgemount United Church in Mandeville, TPDCo Regional Coordinator, Fabian Holness, said that the...

Tourism Minister, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, says that at 52 per cent, Jamaica enjoys the highest level of repeat visitors in the region, and arguably the world, which he credits to the high level of customer service provided through a range of product offerings. Speaking at the recent Private Sector Organization of Jamaica (PSOJ) Chairman's Club breakfast forum at the Jamaica...

Tourism Minister, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, on Wednesday (July 28) announced Cabinet's approval of the Tourism Industry Refurbishment Programme (TIRP), as part of efforts to boost the sector and grow revenues. Under the new incentive programme, tourism entities licensed by the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB), which are tax compliant, will be allowed a concessionary import duty rate of 10 per cent...

Representatives from the Tourism Product Development Company (TPDCo) and the National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA) signed a $100 million contract, for phase four works under the 'Spruce Up Jamaica, Nice Up Yuhself' project, on July 28. The one-year contract has been awarded to the NSWMA for the proposed all-island bushing, cutting of medians and verges along the roadway and...

Tourism Minister, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, says Kingston has begun to record improvement in visitor arrivals, following a fall-out resulting from the West Kingston unrest in May. This comes as welcomed news for the capital city's tourism product, which Mr. Bartlett, last month, said was dented by the unrest, losing significant business in its aftermath. He pointed out then that occupancies...

Tourism Minister, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, is inviting black Americans to invest in the country's tourist sector. He said that while African Americans have a lot of spending power, accounting for nearly 40 per cent of the country's tourist earnings, they should not only seek to vacation on the island, but to set up projects in areas of accommodation, entertainment, cultural...

There are indications that the marketing initiative undertaken by the Tourism Ministry in key overseas markets, to counter the negative publicity generated by the West Kingston unrest, is yielding fruit. In the aftermath of the unrest in May, Tourism Minister, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, announced a major US$10 million marketing and promotional initiative, targeting the traditional United States, Canada and United...