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...

A virtual discussion forum on immigration issues in the Jamaica Diaspora will be held on Sunday, July 19 from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. The event is being organised by the Jamaica Diaspora North-east, United States of America (USA) under the theme ‘Mek We Talk’ and will be broadcast via the Zoom platform. Global Jamaica Diaspora Council Representative for the...

Residents of Porto Bello in St James are now benefiting from an upgraded community centre, which was refurbished at a cost of $4.7 million as part of the Tourism Product Development Company (TPDCo) ‘Spruce Up’ programme. The facility was officially opened by Tourism Minister, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, during a ceremony on Thursday (July 16). Upgrades to the building include the...

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...