Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, says Jamaica is preparing for a phased reopening of the tourism sector, with the necessary health and safety protocols being put in place to guard against the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19). “So we have to plan in advance and anticipate when our largest tourism market would be ready for us, and what...

Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, has announced a five-point recovery plan for the country’s tourism sector that includes a “staggered reopening” of entities. “We do not see reopening as being a one-shop activity that immediately, everywhere will be opened. We think that reopening will be on a staggered basis as we build our own capacity to receive the large...

Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, says the Government has not yet decided on a date for the reopening of the tourism industry, but that one will be announced as soon as a decision is taken on protocols. Speaking at a virtual press conference on May 11 at the Office of the Prime Minister Media Centre in Kingston, he...

Executive Director of the Tourism Product Development Company, (TPDCo), Dr. Andrew Spencer, says the agency has refocused its operations and is now looking at a new model for the sector, post coronavirus (COVID-19). “The fundamental difference in what we do now is that before we would have routine product quality assessment looking for some of the regular things that we...

Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, says the protocol that will facilitate the reopening of the tourism industry is almost complete and will be rolled out shortly. “It entails a whole range of responses that the workers of the industry will have to make and also quite a bit of infrastructure adjustment that the hotels will have to make, as...

The Government is to consider extending the time given for tourism workers in a specific age group to contribute to the Tourism Workers’ Pension Scheme, in light of the impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. This applies to tourism workers aged 59, who are being specially accommodated under the scheme. Government Senator, Matthew Samuda, gave the assurance as he piloted...

Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, says a new generation of post COVID-19 travellers (Generation C or GEN-C), will reshape the way global tourism is marketed for the conceivable future. Speaking with JIS News on April 30, Mr. Bartlett said that tourism-dependent countries like Jamaica will have to take the lead and be more proactive in their approach in what...