Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, says the estimated gross earnings from the tourism industry for fiscal year 2021/2022 are projected at US$1.87 billion, with corresponding visitor arrivals of 1.6 million. He was addressing Wednesday’s (March 3) sitting of the Standing Finance Committee, which is reviewing the 2021/22 Estimates of Expenditure. “Visitor arrivals are projected as follows – stopover, 1.043...

Tourism Minister, Edmund Bartlett has extended heartfelt congratulations to the management and staff of Jakes Hotel in Treasure Beach, St. Elizabeth after the property was listed among the top family vacation spots globally by luxury and lifestyle travel magazine, Condé Nast Traveller, and also named among the best boutique hotels in the Caribbean by the Daily Telegraph. Jakes Hotel was...

President of the All Island Craft Traders and Producers Association, Melody Haughton, says craft traders have been pivoting to other areas, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “Some persons have been going into farming, such as chicken rearing and vegetable growing; making masks, and trying to get odd jobs,” she told JIS News. “Some persons are selling drinks and grocery, so...

Deputy General Manager for Subsidiary Management and Revenue Generation at the Urban Development Corporation (UDC), Lisa Golding, says that commercial operators are expected to be in place at the Harmony Beach Park, in St. James, by April of this year. “The [commercial] spaces themselves are in fact ready. We went to market with 13 commercial spaces ranging from 220 square...

A group of cyclists from Kingston participated in the second leg of the Discover Jamaica by Bike series, which took place over the weekend (February 19 to 21). The group departed the Spanish Court Hotel in Kingston on February 19, continuing along the south coast to Treasure Beach, St Elizabeth. The series, a new tourism initiative done in partnership with...

Governor-General, His Excellency the Most Hon. Sir Patrick Allen, says the Government is using the slowdown in tourism activities due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic as an opportunity to upgrade the sector’s infrastructure and improve the quality of Jamaica’s product. He said this is being done to enable the country to rebound strongly from the significant impact wrought by COVID-19,...