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Bartlett named Global Tourism Icon

The Pacific Area Travel Writers Association (PATWA) has named Minister of Tourism, Edmund Bartlett, ‘Global Tourism Icon’ in recognition of what it says are his “outstanding contributions to the tourism industry.”

In a release on Thursday, PATWA said the accolade, which was presented on Wednesday, is a testament to Bartlett’s “relentless dedication to promoting sustainable tourism practices, fostering cultural exchange, and advancing the tourism sector on a global scale.”

“He has been at the forefront of initiatives aimed at enhancing visitor experiences, building resilience and creating economic opportunities for local communities through tourism,” the release read.”

Upon receiving the title, Bartlett expressed gratitude to PATWA for the recognition while emphasising the importance of collective action in advancing the tourism industry and underscoring the role of collaboration, innovation, and inclusivity in shaping the future of travel.

“It has been my life’s mission to ensure that the tourism sector in Jamaica flourishes in terms of arrivals, earnings, economic growth and resilience,” said Minister Bartlett. “I am pleased that through public-private sector partnerships we have not only weathered the most devastating period in global tourism history, but have elevated Jamaica as a premier travel destination and also set a benchmark for excellence in the global tourism landscape.”

Bartlett is leading a Jamaican delegation at ITB Berlin, the world’s largest travel trade show.

With more than 20 thousand participants expected this year, ITB Berlin is viewed as an important platform for the international tourism industry, facilitating knowledge and networking.

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Government of Jamaica

minister of tourism jamaica

Honourable Edmund Bartlett, C.D., M.P. Minister of Tourism JAMAICA

minister of tourism jamaica

Recognized for his wide-ranging expertise and accomplishments in the political arena, Honourable Edmund Bartlett has given over forty years of service to Jamaica, working both in the Senate and in the House of Representatives. Mr. Bartlett was first appointed Minister of Tourism in 2007, serving until December 2011. Prior to this appointment, he already had a solid track record of service as an outstanding legislator in central government in both Chambers of Parliament. While serving in the shadow Cabinet following his first stint as Tourism Minister, Mr. Bartlett traveled the world forging alliances with strategic partners for global initiatives. He returned to the helm of the Ministry of Tourism following his party’s victory in Jamaica’s February 2016 general election. As one of the world’s leading Tourism Ministers, Mr. Bartlett has represented Jamaica regionally and internationally. He served as Chairman of the Board of Affiliate Members of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), and Vice Chairman of the UNWTO Executive Council, as well as Vice Chairman of the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO). He is presently the Chair of the Regional Commission of the Americas (CAM) since being appointed in May 2019 and the founder and Co-Chair of the Global Tourism and Resilience Crisis Management Centre (GTRCMC) at the University of the West Indies, Mona.

He is the first to serve on the executive of both the public and private sector arms of this prestigious organization. This wealth of experience has made him a much sought-after speaker at tourism-related fora. Mr. Bartlett is an ardent proponent of public private partnerships (PPPS), which he considers essential to the sustainable development of the tourism industry. These alliances span the various sectors, locally and internationally, that make up tourism, including transportation, agriculture and manufacturing. Some of these partnerships have taken the form of foreign direct investment, particularly in the area of accommodation. Tourism has been positioned by Mr. Bartlett as a catalyst for economic growth and the transformation of communities. He has established five networks (Gastronomy, Shopping, Health and Wellness, Sports and Entertainment, and Knowledge) to fuel growth and initiated the Tourism Linkages Network within the Ministry to strengthen sustainable linkages between tourism and other sectors of the economy.

The region has also benefited from Mr. Bartlett’s innovative thinking, as he views other Caribbean and Latin American destinations not as Jamaica’s competitors but as partners that can use their combined tourism offerings to attract more visitors to experience multi-destination tourism. He has taken bold steps to have this facilitated under a special Memoranda of Understanding between nations in the region.

Mr. Bartlett has copped numerous awards. He was awarded Minister of the Year Worldwide by the Pacific Area Travel Writers Association in March 2018 and Caribbean Tourism Minister of the Year at the Caribbean Travel Awards 2017. Most recently, Mr. Bartlett received the International Institute for Peace through Tourism (IIPT) Champions in Challenge Award at the International Travel Crisis Management Summit (ITCMS) in London in November 2018. The IIPT awards honour. Industry leaders who have stood forward in exceptional times of challenge and have made a real difference through their words and their actions. In November 2018, Mr. Bartlett was appointed to serve as a member of the board of sitting ministers for the African Tourism Board. He was also the recipient of the 2016 Caribbean Tourism Minister of Distinction award at the recent African Diaspora World Tourism Awards. In 2016, he was awarded Caribbean’s Leading Personality for Outstanding Services to Tourism at the 23rd World Travel Awards. In 2012, Mr. Bartlett was conferred with the Order of Distinction in the rank of Commander (CD) for outstanding and important services to Jamaica and in 2010, was conferred with the Commander of Number of the Order of Civil Merit of Spain on the order of the King of Spain.

Mr. Bartlett was officially presented with 2019 TRAVVY Awards inaugural Chairman’s Award for Global Tourism Innovation for the development of the Global Tourism Resilience and Crisis Management Centre (GTRCMC) during the launch of the Centre on January 30 at the Montego Bay Convention Centre. The Honourable Minister was recently applauded by the Pacific Area Travel Writers’ Association (PATWA) and awarded as Tourism Minister of the Year (2018) for Sustainable Tourism during the ITB Travel Trade Show in Berlin on March 7, 2019.

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Interview with Edmund Bartlett, Minister of Tourism, Jamaica

minister of tourism jamaica

07 Jun Interview with Edmund Bartlett, Minister of Tourism, Jamaica

Mr. edmund bartlett tells us what his nation needs to do to keep the post-covid recovery momentum going..

To begin today’s interview, tell us a bit about Brand Jamaica, and the nuances of what it means to be Jamaican?

Jamaica is a unique mix of our ethnic and ideological strengths. We are a people out of many one. We’re really the confluence of cultures and ethnicities across the world. Therefore, our authentic presence in the global space is driven by the fact that we are truly representative of the world community. Almost every nation on earth has a place here and we have representatives of their cultures, there styles, their values, embedded in this Jamaican mosaic. It enables us to be far more attractive as a destination to more eyes than many. To be Jamaican is really to be cosmopolitan, is to be a true part of the world community.

Therefore, it’s easy for us to find that there’s acceptance of so many elements of our own culture and practices. Our music, for example, reggae, has taken the world by storm and the impact that it has had on the global scene is absolutely phenomenal. Or athletes: the performance that they have on the world stage is amazing. Even yesterday, in Hungary, the track area was literally blazed by the colors of Jamaica; we have our top stars, women winning gold in that game, and looking to our next records. Usain Bolt is the image of athletics today in the world, a Jamaican who has the record of winning three individual gold medals in an Olympic back-to-back.

Jamaica’s brand therefore is so visible, it’s so present that it denies any argument which says that this little country is not worth seeing, is not worth visiting, is not worth investigating even further. That’s one of the big drives that make our tourism so successful: that we remain something of an anomaly to many but a point of curiosity to most. So you come to Jamaica, to see, to feel, to know, to realize, to experience. And in a lot of cases, you come to Jamaica to find yourself, because there’s a little bit of you that is in all of us. So that’s the discussion on brand.

A strong brand no doubt gives Jamaica a head-start in tourism. However, converting brand equity into national economic development and prosperity is the other half of the equation. In your view, what are the biggest challenges to maximizing this equation, and what have you, as minister of tourism, prioritized to enable tourism to be the key driver of inclusive growth?

The world recognizes the value of destinations, not always on the basis of its intrinsic values but, rather, how it is viewed in the eyes of certain large countries, certain entities, certain organizational arrangements. So, countries that are highly resourced, with a communication capacity that is huge, are likely to get a better review in the global space than a small country with limited resources and with very little access to the communication machine.

The capacity to convert that brand value into material wealth and development is restrained by those factors. When a small country like Jamaica forges its way through that, then it is really worthy of note and, for some reason, you become unassailable, for some reason you become unstoppable. That’s where Jamaica is. And as I indicated earlier, whether it is in music, athletics or sports, whether it is in beauty contests and cultures of that nature, whether it is in thought leadership, wherever Jamaica is inserted, we may not be able to produce the volumes that the world calls for, but we certainly produce the quality that the world wants, and the authenticity that the world wants. Our Blue Mountain coffee, for example, stands out as a very major beverage for coffee aficionados worldwide, among other things like our ginger, our spices and our condiments. The Jamaican cuisine is a very powerful tool because that very cuisine is a confluence of the ethnicities and cultures strengths that will come together to make Jamaica. So our food is a reflection of the food of the world, and almost every nation can come and their palates will be satisfied with the cuisine. So the capacity to convert, limited though it may be, has produced for us quality outputs, quality outcomes and quality experiences that have made our destination undeniable as a place to go, to live, to raise a family and also to have entrepreneurial persons.

Sustainability in tourism has been a fundamental driver of the global industry for several decades. There is something you said when Jamaica hosted the UNTWO Summit on Innovation Resilience and Crisis Management in January 2020 that I thought made a lot of sense, and I quote: “The response has to be not only just sustainability but resilience. It is to build capacity to be able to trap the disruptions, recover quickly from them, and build better, so that you can thrive.” Share with us your vision of the interrelationship between innovation, resilience and sustainability and how this has been applied in Jamaica during the recovery period?

We know that managing uncertainty requires agility and the ability to pivot and to find new ways of doing things and to add value to existing things. And so, to innovate became almost a second nature response. Because there’s no way you could survive the unknown unless you are willing to adapt, to change, to pivot and to innovate. So we focused on building the human capacity to understand this important dimension of management and that we can’t do it alone and we can’t do it with old and stale ideas. We spend a lot of time in Jamaica in ideas. I just launched the innovation-based tourism incubator which is about gathering ideas, from all over, on how to change what we’re doing, how to add value to what we’re doing, how to bring in new experiences that are going to respond to the passion points of people globally, so as to make Jamaica more attractive and more fashionable.

And so, that is about making young people who have no assets but have ideas have a chance to monetize those ideas, convert those ideas into material things that have a value and eventually a price. So we have to look at innovative legislation in the public sector, innovative rules that will guide how the new ideas are going to be embraced, because people don’t like change, they resist change, and laws tend to be immutable, so you have to create some living laws that can respond to changes that are taking place. And then you have to look at the financial sector. Again, the financial sector is pretty conservative, and they tend not to respond as readily to new ideas and take risks. Of course, risk aversion is negative, but it’s positive for some.

One of the biggest trends emerging in the post-Covid world is remote working. By the sound of our interview, I think I should definitely reconsider my options and move there. This phenomenon has unleashed a wave of digital nomads eager to find new places to live and work from. Countries around the world are launching new programs to attract this profile of visitor, who is more long-term and can also contribute to the local economy. As minister of tourism, what are your views on this trend and how is Jamaica approaching this opportunity?

Digital nomads, as a new demographic within the tourism space, is a profile of a particular type of persons that requires of destination and a certain level of infrastructure support. It works well where countries have the level of technological capabilities and communication links, whether it is through broadband WIFI connectivity or telephone. There are other considerations for bringing the digital nomad concept as a part of the tourism product for some countries. One of it, of course, has to do with the demand that digital nomads bring for a higher level of infrastructure for which most of the highly tourism-dependent small countries are not yet ready. For example, we spoke about broadband, which is a key thing: most countries are not covered with broadband, so the digital nomad would then be confined into only one section of the country, and perhaps that section already is over-utilized by regular tourism.

And then the issue of work permits. That now becomes another matter that is a local but important matter, because you are now working in our local space. You have to look also at the question of the treaties that may exist for double taxation and taxation issues: how do you treat with taxation for the digital nomad? And then you have to ensure that your safety and national security measures are strong, and strong enough to protect these digital nomads, because they’re not here for two or three days or three weeks, as in our tours. They have become part of your population, so you have to cater to them in the same way that you cater to your locals, by way of providing the health facilities, the infrastructure in general that would be applicable.

What is your final message for the readers of the Miami Herald?

The recovery of tourism has been going beyond our expectations. The advent of vaccines and the science behind it has given a greater level of confidence in the safety of travel. It does put more countries in a position to open their borders and also gives them a lot of hope. But it also has caused a great level of consternation among a number of countries, particularly those who have not been able to access the vital fluid, and some of those are the most tourism-dependent countries on earth. So their recovery is being stymied by the inequities that are now feature of the vaccine distribution process globally. Over 3 billion doses have been administered and less than 10% of the world is covered. Countries have in excess of their population needs, and some have also had spoilage of the valuable fluid when 90% of the world is in a difficult state because of inadequacy of the vaccine.

So tourism has a responsibility, too, for its own revival, to be a champion to create a rebalancing of that inequity in global distribution of the vaccines. I want to use this opportunity of reaching out to the entire community to be conscious of the fact that the recovery of, not just tourism, but the global economy, is not going to be just the preserve of a few countries. It has to be the responsibility of all the countries. And for that responsibility to be executed there has to be equity, there has to be fairness, and all of us have to recover together. And if we leave conscience behind, we’re setting the stage for humanitarian disaster, maybe even worse than the pandemic itself.

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minister of tourism jamaica

Ministry: Ministry of Tourism

Edmund bartlett.

Edmund Bartlett

The Hon. Edmund Bartlett, CD, MP, is the Minister of Tourism. Recognized for his wide-ranging expertise and accomplishments in the political arena, Honourable Edmund Bartlett has given over thirty-five years of service to Jamaica, working in both chambers of Jamaica’s Parliament – the Senate and House of Representatives. Mr. Bartlett was first appointed Minister of Tourism […]

minister of tourism jamaica

Jamaica’s Minister of Tourism Discusses Travel Advisory, Infrastructure Improvements and More

A s has been widely reported over the past 12 hours, Jamaican officials are pushing back against the U.S. State Department's recent decision to advise travelers to reconsider plans to visit the Caribbean nation.

Updated on January 14, the State Department advisory posits that there's a prevalence of violent crimes on the island and alleged frequent sexual assaults, including incidents at all-inclusive resorts. However, the advisory lacked any specific details regarding these claims.

On the heels of this development, various Jamaican authorities, including Audrey Marks, Jamaica 's ambassador to the United States, have spoken out and called upon the State Department to retract advisory , calling it inaccurate.

Amid this evolving news story, TravelPulse's Managing Editor for the Caribbean, Brian Major, spoke with Jamaica's Minister of Tourism, the Hon. Edmund Bartlett, to gather the leader's thoughts about the travel warning and the latest developments in the country, including infrastructure improvements. Here's what Bartlett had to say.

Q.What is your reaction to the recent US State Department advisory?

The U.S. Department of State routinely issues travel advisories on an ongoing basis. In total, there are more than 200 advisories of varying levels found on the Department of State website, for nearly every major country in the world. The Level 3 advisory for Jamaica is not new and has been in effect since early 2022. Since that time, Jamaica has welcomed millions of visitors and continues to be one of the most popular destinations in the world.

Q.What steps us the government taking to keep visitors safe?

While the crime rate involving visitors is extremely low at 0.01%, the Jamaican government has set up a special unit within the Jamaica Constabulary Force to handle incidents concerning non-residents and has increased police presence in specific areas of the island as needed, which is already having a positive impact.

It is also important to note that there are very distinctly defined areas within Jamaica that the U.S. travel advisory cites as having risk for crime. The majority of the island’s tourism product remains unaffected. Jamaica remains committed to providing a safe and welcoming environment for visitors and locals alike.  In fact, Jamaica experienced its lowest crime rate in 22 years with serious crimes decreasing 11% as compared to the previous year.

Q.What sorts of tourism infrastructure improvements has Jamaica made over the past year?

Further to the construction of the Montego Bay bypass road and expected 2024 addition of 2,000 new rooms to our hotel stock with the debuts of the first 1,000 rooms of the 2,000-room Princess Grand Jamaica, the 753-room Riu Palace Aquarelle and the 450-room Unico Hotel in Montego Bay, Jamaica is upgrading our international airports with new retail and dining outlets, expanded customs & immigration halls, shifted to an online C5 customs form for all arriving air passengers and is installing Automated Passport Control kiosks, all designed to improve the airport experience. With $5 billion in tourism investments, the improvements for the sector are fully expected to continue.

Q.What percentage of visitors to Jamaica come from the U.S.?

Approximately 70 percent of all visitor arrivals to Jamaica are from the U.S., making it our largest source market.

Q.How did Jamaica do in terms of visitor arrivals in 2023 and how is 2024 going?

Jamaica welcomed more than 4 million visitors in 2023 and continues to be one of the most popular destinations in the world. With over 1 million airline seats secured for January -April 2024 from the U.S. alone, we expect to post a record-breaking season with visitor arrivals exceeding 2019 pre-pandemic numbers.

Q.Why do you believe Jamaica has proven so popular with U.S. travelers?

In addition to having “sun, sea and sand,” a wide variety of accommodations and proximity to the U.S. like most other Caribbean destinations, Jamaica has many more attributes that travelers find appealing which are not necessarily common in other islands and certainly not commonly found on just one. 

For instance, we have the lush Blue Mountains with peaks rising as high as 7,402 feet, underground limestone caverns such as Green Grotto Caves, bamboo river rafting, a glowing bioluminescent lagoon, crystalline waterfalls, and natural pools, and more. In fact, as the birthplace of Jerk spice and reggae music as popularized by our very own Bob Marley, Jamaica’s unique and vibrant culture has influenced the world.

Not to mention the infectious, warm and welcoming Jamaican people, who have hospitality in their DNA! Combined, all of the above makes visitors want to return to Jamaica again and again to the point where we enjoy a whopping 42% repeat visitor rate.

Jamaica

minister of tourism jamaica

Minister of Tourism, Jamaica Government

Recognized for his wide-ranging expertise and accomplishments in the political arena, Honourable Edmund Bartlett has given over forty years of service to Jamaica, working both in the Senate and in the House of Representatives.

Mr. Bartlett was first appointed Minister of Tourism in 2007, serving until December 2011. Prior to this appointment, he already had a solid track record of service as an outstanding legislator in central government in both Chambers of Parliament. While serving in the shadow Cabinet following his first stint as Tourism Minister, Mr. Bartlett traveled the world forging alliances with strategic partners for global initiatives. He returned to the helm of the Ministry of Tourism following his party’s victory in Jamaica’s February 2016 general election.

As one of the world’s leading Tourism Ministers, Mr. Bartlett has represented Jamaica regionally and internationally. He served as Chairman of the Board of Affiliate Members of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), and Vice Chairman of the UNWTO Executive Council, as well as Vice Chairman of the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO). He is presently the Chair of the Regional Commission of the Americas (CAM) since being appointed in May 2019 and the founder and Co-Chair of the Global Tourism and Resilience Crisis Management (GTRCM) Centre at the University of the West Indies, Mona. He is the first to serve on the executive of both the public and private sector arms of this prestigious organization. This wealth of experience has made him a much sought-after speaker at tourism-related fora. Mr. Bartlett is an ardent proponent of public private partnerships (PPPS), which he considers essential to the sustainable development of the tourism industry. These alliances span the various sectors, locally and internationally, that make up tourism, including transportation, agriculture and manufacturing. Some of these partnerships have taken the form of foreign direct investment, particularly in the area of accommodation. Tourism has been positioned by Mr. Bartlett as a catalyst for economic growth and the transformation of communities. He has established five networks (Gastronomy, Shopping, Health and Wellness, Sports and Entertainment, and Knowledge) to fuel growth and initiated the Tourism Linkages Network within the Ministry to strengthen sustainable linkages between tourism and other sectors of the economy. The region has also benefited from Mr. Bartlett’s innovative thinking, as he views other Caribbean and Latin American destinations not as Jamaica’s competitors but as partners that can use their combined tourism offerings to attract more visitors to experience multi-destination tourism. He has taken bold steps to have this facilitated under a special Memoranda of Understanding between nations in the region. Mr. Bartlett has copped numerous awards. He was awarded Minister of the Year Worldwide by the Pacific Area Travel Writers Association in March 2018 and Caribbean Tourism Minister of the Year at the Caribbean Travel Awards 2017. Most recently, Mr. Bartlett received the International Institute for Peace through Tourism (IIPT) Champions in Challenge Award at the International Travel Crisis Management Summit (ITCMS) in London in November 2018. The IIPT awards honour industry leaders who have stood forward in exceptional times of challenge and have made a real difference through their words and their actions.

In November 2018, Mr. Bartlett was appointed to serve as a member of the board of sitting ministers for the African Tourism Board. He was also the recipient of the 2016 Caribbean Tourism Minister of Distinction award at the recent African Diaspora World Tourism Awards. In 2016, he was awarded Caribbean's Leading Personality for Outstanding Services to Tourism at the 23rd World Travel Awards. In 2012, Mr. Bartlett was conferred with the Order of Distinction in the rank of Commander (CD) for outstanding and important services to Jamaica and in 2010, was conferred with the Commander of Number of the Order of Civil Merit of Spain on the order of the King of Spain. Mr. Bartlett was officially presented with 2019 TRAVVY Awards inaugural Chairman's Award for Global Tourism Innovation for the development of the Global Tourism Resilience and Crisis Management Centre (GTRCMC) during the launch of the Centre on January 30 at the Montego Bay Convention Centre. The Honourable Minister was recently applauded by the Pacific Area Travel Writers’ Association (PATWA) and awarded as Tourism Minister of the Year (2018) for Sustainable Tourism during the ITB Travel Trade Show in Berlin on March 7, 2019.

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Caribbean National Weekly

In a momentous victory for Caribbean tourism, Jamaica clinched the prestigious title of Global Destination of the Year at the renowned travel trade show, ITB in Berlin .

The accolade, bestowed on Wednesday by the Pacific Area Travel Writers Association (PATWA), underscores Jamaica’s burgeoning reputation as a top-tier travel destination. 

Founded in 1999, PATWA is a nonprofit international media organization of travel writers committed to recognizing excellence in the industry.

Minister Bartlett accepts award

Accepting the award on behalf of the destination, Minister of Tourism, Hon Edmund Bartlett, expressed profound gratitude for the acknowledgment.

Highlighting Jamaica’s reputation for its cuisine, music, and hospitality, Minister Bartlett emphasized the profound impact of these experiential offerings on visitors, creating lasting memories that transcend time.

ITB Berlin: A nexus of global tourism

The PATWA awards ceremony, a highlight of ITB Berlin, marks a pinnacle in the tourism calendar. 

With over 20 thousand participants anticipated this year, ITB Berlin stands as the world’s largest travel trade show, fostering crucial networking opportunities and facilitating knowledge exchange among industry professionals.

Boost in tourism

The Global Destination of the Year award comes on the heels of phenomenal tourism achievements for Jamaica. 

In 2023, the island welcomed over 4 million international visitors and generated US$4.2 billion in earnings, cementing its status as a powerhouse in the global tourism landscape.

Jamaica’s storied accolades

This recent honor adds to Jamaica’s growing list of awards celebrating its authentic and unique tourism offerings. 

Last year, the island secured the title of ‘Caribbean’s Best Culinary Destination’ at the World Culinary Awards. 

Additionally, Jamaica clinched an impressive 33 World Travel Awards, including the coveted title of ‘Caribbean’s Leading Destination.’

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The ministry, the honourable edmund bartlett, cd, mp.

Edmund Bartlett

Hon. Edmund Bartlett is a dynamic, results-oriented leader, recognized for his wide-ranging expertise and accomplishments in both tourism and politics.

He is by nature an innovator and a visionary; attributes which have underscored Mr. Bartlett’s forty-one years of successful service to the nation.  Whether providing strategic guidance to his portfolio Ministry or overseeing the overall development of Jamaica’s tourism industry, he always seeks to add value and create opportunities.

Jennifer A. Griffith, CD, JP

Jennifer A. Griffith

Jennifer Griffith as the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Tourism is the chief administrator and provides strategic guidance on all matters to the agencies that fall under the Ministry's purview.

Prior to her appointment as Permanent Secretary in 2006, she held the post of Senior Director, Strategic Planning and Evaluation with responsibilities straddling the tourism, industry and entertainment portfolios.

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U.S. Warns Spring Breakers Headed to Mexico, Jamaica or the Bahamas

In recent weeks, American travelers to some of the busiest international destinations during spring vacation have been urged by the State Department to exercise extra caution.

A sunset over a calm harbor turns the water and the ski into hues of dark blue and black.

By Vjosa Isai

Don’t wander off the resort after dark. Keep the flashy clothing and jewelry to a minimum. Stay aware of your surroundings. Those are some of the travel rules that Ginger Moore, a retired logistics analyst from Panama City, Fla., adheres to on her solo trips throughout the Caribbean.

Ms. Moore, 75, has always felt safe during her stays in Jamaica, where she’s returning for the fourth time on Wednesday. But this year, while she’s still happy to take a trip, a travel advisory for Jamaica, reissued in January by the U.S. State Department, has elevated her concerns.

“I’m sure there are parts, just like the United States, that you can go into that are not recommended,” said Ms. Moore. Nonetheless, she has taken new precautions for her upcoming trip, like packing additional health supplies and purchasing a security bar for the sliding balcony door of her hotel room.

In recent weeks, the State Department and U.S. Embassies have issued new and updated advisories urging travelers to Mexico, Jamaica and the Bahamas — some of the busiest international spring break destinations — to exercise extra caution after recent violent events, some in tourist areas. Security experts suggest that the advice is largely consistent with advisories of previous years.

Caroline Hammer, a global security analyst at the risk intelligence company RANE , said tourists should interpret the advisories as warnings to exercise caution and avoid specific hot spots for crime, but not as a blanket rule to restrict their travel anywhere in the region.

What do the travel warnings say?

Warnings about spring break travel to certain parts of Mexico came in recent days, while the security alerts and updated travel advisories for Jamaica and the Bahamas were issued in late January.

The State Department has classified Jamaica at Level 3 since 2022, recommending visitors “ reconsider travel ” because of episodes of violent crime. The agency reissued the travel advisory in January to also alert tourists about access to medical services, and warned that “sexual assaults occur frequently, including at all-inclusive resorts.”

Kamina Johnson Smith, Jamaica’s foreign affairs and foreign trade minister, said in a statement published two days later that the country made “serious improvements” in responding to crime and in its health care infrastructure and disagreed with the scope of the advisory.

“The government of Jamaica is disappointed that the language used does not reflect our country’s significant progress,” she said.

Data from the Jamaican national police force shows that as of March 1, several crime categories, including murders, break-ins and rapes, had declined compared with the same period in 2023, though shootings and assault had risen.

In the Bahamas, gang violence and a number of murders prompted U.S. officials to urge tourists to “ exercise increased caution ,” especially in the cities of Nassau and Freeport. Recreational boat tours, jet ski rentals and other water activities are unevenly regulated, the advisory additionally notes, and have led to injuries and deaths.

In early February, two female travelers said their drinks had been spiked during a cruise stop in the Bahamas and accused resort staff of sexually assaulting them .

Last week, in a statement specifically discussing spring break travel, the U.S. Embassy in Mexico reiterated precautions outlined in a State Department travel advisory, last updated over the summer, issued because of crime and kidnappings. It reminded tourists to be cautious when visiting the downtown areas of Cancún, Playa del Carmen and Tulum, all in Quintana Roo State.

The advisory also recommends travel by toll road in daytime hours, and to remain near major cities, which have a heightened police presence and other emergency services.

What’s behind the warning in Mexico?

Organized crime groups in Mexico have largely kept violent activity outside resorts to avoid hurting the tourism industry, said Ms. Hammer, of RANE. The cartels, she said, depend on tourists themselves, by selling drugs to visitors and extorting local businesses, and it would generate a heightened response from the Mexican government.

In 2023, tourists spent close to $3.1 billion in Mexico, up 10 percent over 2022, according to data from the tourism ministry, with many travelers Cancún-bound.

A handful of violent episodes last year included the kidnappings of two Americans who had crossed the border near Brownsville, Texas, and were found dead, as well as heated disputes between rival taxi and Uber drivers in Cancún. The violence came on the heels of a number of gunfights and assassinations in late 2021 and early 2022 that rattled tourists along the Riviera Maya .

“The good news is that those incidents that have been reported inside of resorts are extremely, extremely rare,” Ms. Hammer said.

In its latest advisory, the State Department warns that shootings by rival gangs, “while not directed at tourists,” have caught some in the crossfire, even on resorts. Last month, an American woman was killed during a drug-related shooting in a beach club in Tulum. Prosecutors in Quintana Roo said she was a bystander.

Despite these incidents, the security picture in Mexico has generally remained unchanged, said Zachary Rabinor, the founder and president of Journey Mexico , a luxury travel company.

“A lot of this is kind of general, stereotypical fears,” he said, adding that tourists shouldn’t interpret violent episodes as sweeping events, especially in resort destinations most popular with visitors.

“There are definitely still areas that are troublesome, but in general, they are not where tourists are going,” Mr. Rabinor said.

What’s behind the warning for the Bahamas?

In January, the Bahamian prime minister, Philip Davis, shared his government’s plan to tamp down criminal activity after a spate of murders, mostly gang-related.

“If you choose crime, you will face the full weight and might of the law,” Mr. Davis said during a national address on Jan. 24. The admonishing tone was a sharp turn from a celebratory moment just a month earlier, when the Bahamian tourism ministry announced the country had hit a record of eight million travelers in 2023.

While the police grapple with crime off resorts, the Bahamian foreign affairs ministry said, in a statement published shortly after the U.S. Embassy alert, that the country does not believe that tourists are under any new “elevated or increased security risk.”

What can you do to stay safe?

Effective safety measures can be as simple as remaining vigilant, and planning ahead by purchasing travel insurance and updating emergency contact lists. Other general steps recommended in the advisories include avoiding walking or driving off the resort areas at night, avoiding public transit and heeding local laws.

High traveler volumes around spring break may make tourism police forces, in places where they have them, slower to respond to emergency calls, Ms. Hammer of RANE Network warned.

Arranging transportation through a travel company or a resort for excursions or trips to the airport is highly recommended, said Scott Stewart, the vice president for intelligence at the security firm TorchStone Global.

“A lot of times, there’s not a lot of a gap between criminals and taxi drivers in many countries, so using a trusted transportation provider is huge,” said Mr. Stewart.

He also recommends “traveling gray,” a term used in security circles for keeping a low profile, such as by not displaying luxury items that might draw the attention of criminals.

The State Department’s reissued warning raised concerns for Ms. Moore, the traveler heading to Jamaica, but it hasn’t deterred her from making the trip.

“In the tourist areas, I just feel very comfortable,” she said. “I’ve just never had any bad experiences, knock on wood, and I love Jamaica. That’s why I keep going back.”

Follow New York Times Travel on Instagram and sign up for our weekly Travel Dispatch newsletter to get expert tips on traveling smarter and inspiration for your next vacation. Dreaming up a future getaway or just armchair traveling? Check out our 52 Places to Go in 2024 .

An earlier version of this article misstated the title of Philip Davis. He is the prime minister of the Bahamas, not its president.

How we handle corrections

Vjosa Isai is a reporter and researcher for The Times based in Toronto, where she covers news from across Canada. More about Vjosa Isai

Open Up Your World

Considering a trip, or just some armchair traveling here are some ideas..

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52 Places:  Why do we travel? For food, culture, adventure, natural beauty? Our 2024 list has all those elements, and more .

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Travel | Royal Caribbean shuts down trips to Haiti….

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Travel | how onepulse broke orlando’s heart | a special report, things to do, subscriber only, travel | royal caribbean shuts down trips to haiti. here’s where its cruise ships are going instead..

minister of tourism jamaica

Royal Caribbean announced suspensions of planned stops to Labadee, the cruise line’s private resort on Haiti’s northern shore, in the wake of continued violence and lawlessness in the island nation.

The announcement on Thursday came a day after Royal Caribbean said it would continue stopping at its private resort while “monitoring” for safety threats.

“The safety and security of our guests, crew, and communities we visit are our top priority. Our Global Security and Intel Team is closely monitoring the evolving situation in Haiti, and in an abundance of caution, we are temporarily making adjustments to sailings visiting Labadee,” the cruise line announced.

So far, the suspension is in effect until March 22, the cruise line said. Plans beyond that date will be announced as decisions are made.

“We will continue to monitor and reassess calls as needed, and will communicate updates with guests directly,” the statement said.

The U.S. State Department has maintained a “Do Not Travel” advisory for Haiti since July 27, 2023, due to kidnapping, crime, civil unrest, and poor health care infrastructure. “Kidnapping is widespread and victims regularly include U.S. citizens,” the alert states.

The situation took a turn for the worse in early March as gangs attacked government buildings and the National Penitentiary, releasing an estimated 4,000 inmates. This week, Prime Minister Ariel Henry announced his resignation.

Labadee is an enclosed resort, built on a peninsula accessible only to Royal Caribbean guests and employees, that the cruise line has leased since the 1980s. The 260-acre property is located about 130 miles north of Port-au-Prince, where most of the violence is taking place. Travel by car from the capital to the resort takes six to eight hours.

The resort features a roller coaster, fishing and jet-ski areas, cabanas and beach access. Private security protects cruise ship customers when Royal Caribbean’s ships stop there.

Itineraries of six ships that sail from Florida ports will be affected by the suspension, which is scheduled to last through March 22.

Symphony of the Seas , departing Port Everglades on March 18. Labadee stop replaced by a sea day. Falmouth, Jamaica call time adjusted to 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Explorer of the Seas , departing Port Miami on March 17. Labadee stop replaced by Perfect Day at Coco Cay with a call time of 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Oasis of the Seas , departing Port Miami on March 17. Labadee stop replaced by Falmouth, Jamaica, with a call time of 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Grandeur of the Seas , departing Port Miami on March 18. Labadee stop replaced by Perfect Day at CocoCay with a call time of 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Adventure of the Seas , departing Port Canaveral on March 15. Labadee stop replaced by Grand Turk with a call time of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Mariner of the Seas , departing Port Canaveral on March 16. Labadee stop replaced by Nassau, Bahamas with a call time of 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

This is not the first time Royal Caribbean has suspended stops to Labadee because of unrest in Haiti.

In 2016, the cruise line canceled three stops by Freedom of the Seas after encountering local residents in small boats staging a protest.

Ron Hurtibise covers business and consumer issues for the South Florida Sun Sentinel. He can be reached by phone at 954-356-4071, on Twitter @ronhurtibise or by email at [email protected].

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  3. Breaking Travel News interview: Edmund Bartlett, minister of tourism

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COMMENTS

  1. Ministry of Tourism

    Ministry of Tourism POLICY & LEGISLATION Global Tourism Resilience Day (February 17) celebrations ended on a high note with six individuals and organizations being honoured for their exceptional contributions to strengthening the industry during the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.

  2. The Honourable Edmund Bartlett, CD, MP

    Learn about the achievements and contributions of Minister of Tourism Hon. Edmund Bartlett, CD, MP, a dynamic leader in tourism and politics. He is the leader of the Tourism Linkages Network, a UNWTO partner, and the founder of the Global Tourism Resilience and Crisis Management Centre. He has also received many awards and honors for his service to the nation and the sector.

  3. Ministry of Tourism

    The Hon. Edmund Bartlett, CD, MP, is the Minister of Tourism. Recognized for his wide-ranging expertise and accomplishments in the political arena, Honourable Edmund Bartlett has given over thirty-five years of service to Jamaica, working in both chambers of Jamaica's Parliament - the Senate and House of Representatives. Mr.

  4. Bartlett named Global Tourism Icon

    The Pacific Area Travel Writers Association (PATWA) has named Minister of Tourism, Edmund Bartlett, 'Global Tourism Icon' in recognition of what it says are his "outstanding contributions to ...

  5. Edmund Bartlett

    The Hon. Edmund Bartlett, CD, MP, is the Minister of Tourism. Recognized for his wide-ranging expertise and accomplishments in the political arena, Honourable Edmund Bartlett has given over thirty-five years of service to Jamaica, working in both chambers of Jamaica's Parliament - the Senate and House of Representatives.

  6. Honourable Edmund Bartlett, C.D., M.P.Minister of TourismJAMAICA

    As one of the world's leading Tourism Ministers, Mr. Bartlett has represented Jamaica regionally and internationally. He served as Chairman of the Board of Affiliate Members of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), and Vice Chairman of the UNWTO Executive Council, as well as Vice Chairman of the Caribbean Tourism

  7. Edmund Bartlett

    The Hon. Edmund Bartlett, CD, MP, is the Minister of Tourism. Recognized for his wide-ranging expertise and accomplishments in the political arena, Mr. Bartlett has given over thirty-five years of service to Jamaica, working in both chambers of Jamaica's Parliament - the Senate and House of Representatives.

  8. Edmund Bartlett

    Edmund Bartlett Bartlett in April 2018 Edmund Bartlett is a Jamaican politician who is Member of Parliament for Saint James East Central. He is current Minister of Tourism, having succeeded Wykeham McNeill when the Jamaica Labour Party won the 2016 general elections.

  9. Tourism Minister

    Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, addresses the opening of the Ministry's second Global Tourism Resilience Day Conference, at the Montego Bay Convention Centre in St. James on Friday (February 16). ... This is one of the reasons why I speak with pride, because our little Jamaica has not only recovered from the COVID-19 pandemic but ...

  10. Ministry of Tourism: Sectoral Presentation 2021/2022

    1 2 SECTORAL DEBATE PRESENTATION 2021/2022 Hon. Edmund Bartlett, CD, MP Minister of Tourism Gordon House, Kingston April 20, 2021 ........................................... THEME: BUILDING...

  11. Interview with Edmund Bartlett, Minister of Tourism, Jamaica

    A strong brand no doubt gives Jamaica a head-start in tourism. However, converting brand equity into national economic development and prosperity is the other half of the equation. In your view, what are the biggest challenges to maximizing this equation, and what have you, as minister of tourism, prioritized to enable tourism to be the key ...

  12. Jamaica sets record tourism milestone in first two months of 2024

    This remarkable achievement, as highlighted by Tourism Minister Hon. Edmund Bartlett, marks a historic first for Jamaica. Speaking at a press briefing held on Thursday, March 14, at the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) in New Kingston, Minister Bartlett expressed jubilation at the exceptional performance of Jamaica's tourism industry.

  13. Ministry: Ministry of Tourism

    261 Edmund Bartlett The Hon. Edmund Bartlett, CD, MP, is the Minister of Tourism. Recognized for his wide-ranging expertise and accomplishments in the political arena, Honourable Edmund Bartlett has given over thirty-five years of service to Jamaica, working in both chambers of Jamaica's Parliament - the Senate and House of Representatives. Mr.

  14. Minister of Tourism Announces One Million Visitor Arrivals to Date For

    At a destination press briefing held at the 41st Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association (CHTA) Caribbean Travel Marketplace in Barbados, Minister of Tourism the Hon. Edmund Bartlett announced that Jamaica has surpassed one million visitor arrivals year-to-date for 2023, reaching this milestone approximately one month earlier than in 2022.

  15. Jamaica's Minister of Tourism Discusses Travel Advisory ...

    Jamaica's Minister of Tourism Discusses Travel Advisory, Infrastructure Improvements and More. Story by Mia Taylor. • 3w. Jamaican officials are pushing back against the U.S. State Department ...

  16. News Releases

    Home News Releases Minister Bartlett to Launch New Book on Global Tourism Resilience Day 2024 Montego Bay, Jamaica; Thursday, February 15, 2024: As preparations intensify ahead of the start of the 2 nd Global Tourism Resilience Day Conference, w UN Tourism Partners with Newly Rebranded Global Tourism Resilience Centre

  17. Edmund Bartlett

    Edmund Bartlett. Minister of Tourism, Jamaica Government. Recognized for his wide-ranging expertise and accomplishments in the political arena, Honourable Edmund Bartlett has given over forty years of service to Jamaica, working both in the Senate and in the House of Representatives. Mr. Bartlett was first appointed Minister of Tourism in 2007 ...

  18. Jamaica Ministry of Tourism

    Jamaica Ministry of Tourism, Kingston 5. 57,524 likes · 126 talking about this. Jamaica's Ministry of Tourism is the arm of the Government of Jamaica which develops and implements policies and...

  19. Jamaica triumphs as Global Destination of the Year at ITB Berlin

    Jamaica triumphs as Global Destination of the Year at ITB Berlin. March 7, 2024. Minister of Tourism, Hon Edmund Bartlett receives the Global Destination of the Year award from Yatan Ahluwalia, Secretary General, PATWA. Sharing in the moment are (l-r) Delano Seiveright, Senior Strategist and Advisor, Ministry of Tourism and Chevannes Barragan ...

  20. Record Visitor Arrivals and Tourism Earnings for Jamaica between

    Jamaica welcomed one million visitors and generated tourism earnings of US$1 billion between January and February 2024. This, according to Tourism Minister, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, "is a record that has never happened in the history of Jamaica". "So, the good news is that Jamaica's trajectory continues even against odds," Mr. Bartlett ...

  21. Officers

    Jennifer A. Griffith, CD, JP Jennifer Griffith as the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Tourism is the chief administrator and provides strategic guidance on all matters to the agencies that fall under the Ministry's purview.

  22. Spring Break Travel Advisories Reissued for Mexico, Jamaica and the

    Kamina Johnson Smith, Jamaica's foreign affairs and foreign trade minister, ... when the Bahamian tourism ministry announced the country had hit a record of eight million travelers in 2023.

  23. Cruise line suspends Haiti stops. Here's where it will go instead

    Falmouth, Jamaica call time adjusted to 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Explorer of the Seas , departing Port Miami on March 17. Labadee stop replaced by Perfect Day at Coco Cay with a call time of 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.

  24. Tourism

    Ministry Overview Ministry of Tourism Minister: The Honourable Edmund Bartlett CD, MP Permanent Secretary: Mrs. Jennifer Griffith, JP. Minister Without Portfolio: Tourism www.mot.gov.jm 64 Knutsford Boulevard Kingston 5 [email protected] / [email protected] (876) 920-4926-30 (876) 920-4924