(HMA & HSM JAPEX) An elated Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett (centre) fields questions on Jamaica’s tourism industry from local and international journalists at a special Jamaica Product Exchange (JAPEX) 2025 media breakfast, at Jewel Grande Montego Bay Resort & Spa on Tuesday, September 23. He is flanked by (from left) Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Tourism, Mrs. Jennifer Griffith (left) and newly minted Minister of State for Tourism, Hon. Tova Hamilton.
Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett has announced plans to fuel major expansion in the island’s vibrant tourism sector as the Ministry of Tourism seeks to boost Jamaica’s share of the lucrative global tourism market.
In a wide-ranging address to local and foreign media during a special Jamaica Product Exchange (JAPEX) 2025 media breakfast, at Jewel Grande Montego Bay Resort & Spa yesterday (September 23), Minister Bartlett articulated the overall strategy to build on the successes of the industry to date, and plans now in train to achieve robust growth.
Focus was placed on the critical areas of human capital development, boosting safety through destination assurance, expansion of the villa sector and enhancing the tourism product. He said the capacity of workers was being built “to enable them to have an environment that is conducive to productivity.” In that regard, Jamaica now requires investors developing 500 or more hotel rooms to also build housing for their workers.
HM JAPEX) Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett gesticulates as he outlines plans for major expansion in the tourism sector as he addressed local and international journalists, as well as travel advisors during a special Jamaica Product Exchange (JAPEX) 2025 media breakfast, at Jewel Grande Montego Bay Resort & Spa on Tuesday, September 23.
Minister Bartlett said government was keen on building infrastructure to enable the carrying capacity for the sector “so that we don’t have a situation of over-tourism in Jamaica” because while it is desirable that tourists feel happy when they come here, “most of all we want our people to feel comfortable at all times to be the best host for our visitors when they arrive.”
He outlined plans to increase the number of airports locally, while enhancing existing ones, stressing that Jamaica was the first country in the Caribbean to have facial recognition at its airports to enable seamlessness. Minister Bartlett expressed that in light of ongoing strategic interventions by the government to boost national security: “Jamaica is now the safest destination in the Caribbean.”
Minister Bartlett posited however, that “all these things that I am talking about is not about tourist, it’s about the people of Jamaica because they must first be happy and comfortable so that our tourists can be happy and comfortable.” Mr. Bartlett was upbeat that “it’s a whole new and exciting moment for the development of Jamaica’s tourism sector.”
On the matter of investment, Minister Bartlett said 2,000 new rooms were currently under construction and ground is to be broken for another 3,000 rooms at a higher price point, with several new high-end brands being introduced. He added that Montego Bay is to have the first casino zone along the Elegant Corridor.
“We’re going to be zoning our country in a short while so that there are specific areas for specific zone activities. The South Coast around Treasure Beach will be zoned for low density villa type development throughout,” Minister Bartlett expressed. “We’re looking also at expanding the villa offerings as more and more high-end offerings are coming on stream,” he noted.
Additionally, a new destination will be established in the eastern parish of St. Thomas. Similarly, “we’re redefining Portland to make Port Antonio the high-end destination within Jamaica. We have moved already to realign the highway, we’re going to be making over a new township within the area and we’re going to be expanding the cruise facilities there and enable more boutique vessels to come into the Port Antonio area so as to build out again, the higher end of the cruise business,” he explained. Mr. Bartlett said the entire area from Oracabessa to Port Antonio is to be zoned for regular and high-end villas.
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Source: breakingtravelnews.com
