Tourism Minister, Hon. Edmund Bartlett has expressed deep regret at the passing of the prominent Austria-born hotelier, Heinz Simonitsch, who is credited for his development of Half Moon resort in Montego Bay, St James. “Heinz Simonitsch was a stalwart and one of the most outstanding tourism administrators, planners, and missionaries of the Caribbean. I offer my condolences to the Simonitsch...

The annual ‘Christmas in July’ trade show will be held virtually for the first time on Thursday, July 23. The event will feature locally produced gifts and souvenir items that will be available for purchase in December. Products will be from the categories of fashion and accessories, art and crafts, processed foods, aromatherapy and souvenirs such as desktop items and...

Visitors to Jamaica now have authorised access to the southern end of the island, as the Government has implemented the second phase of the coronavirus (COVID-19) Resilient Corridor, in keeping with the phased reopening of the tourism sector. Dubbed the ‘South Coast Resilient Corridor’, this new segment became effective on Tuesday (July 15), spanning Milk River in Clarendon to Negril...

With cruise shipping at a standstill and stopover arrivals just returning, one popular tourist attraction – Mystic Mountain in Ocho Rios, St. Ann – has set its sights firmly on the local market. In an interview with JIS News, the attraction’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Michael Drakulich, said that prior to the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, Mystic Mountain had been creating...

Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett has announced a suite of financial measures in the form of grants and loans to assists Small and Medium Tourism Enterprises (SMTEs). The move, forms part of the government’s commitment to help small tourism businesses retool and rebound amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Funding, will be provided through the Tourism Enhancement Fund; the Rural Economic...

The Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF) will provide 500 COVID-19 protective kits, valued at more than $15 million, to small tourism properties islandwide. Making the announcement during a digital press conference on July 10, Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, said the kits, valued at more than $30,000 each, will include two touchless garbage bins, two touchless hand sanitiser dispensers and...

Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, has announced that since the phased reopening of the country’s borders on June 15, Jamaica has welcomed more than 35,000 visitors. “We expect to have another 30,000 at the end of July, and that would bring us somewhere in the region of about US$80 million in foreign exchange,” the Minister said. Mr. Bartlett was...