Bartlett courts Canadian travellers as Jamaica builds for its tourism future
November 6, 2026
With about 400,000 airline seats to fill from Canada this winter, Jamaica’s Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett delivered a message that went beyond beaches and resort rooms.
As the island rebuilds after Hurricane Melissa a year ago, he is asking Canadians to support its recovery while promoting investments intended to reshape how visitors experience the destination.
New aviation facilities, highway improvements, expanded hotels and the redevelopment of vulnerable coastal communities figure prominently in that vision.
“A new Jamaica is emerging from the ashes of Melissa,” Bartlett said. “And you cannot afford to miss it.”
His Canadian marketing campaign included Toronto, Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg and Montreal, connecting the minister and Jamaica Tourist Board representatives with travel advisors, industry partners and media.
Approximately 300 advisors and tourism stakeholders attended an October 23 destination update in Toronto.
The immediate goal is to turn airline capacity into bookings for the 2026–27 winter season. Sustaining that demand would help protect livelihoods across an industry whose spending reaches farmers, transportation providers, entertainers, craft vendors and other businesses.
Bartlett’s longer ambition is a recovery that strengthens communities while making Jamaica easier to reach and explore.
“The recovery for us is not going to be business as usual,” he said.
That approach includes plans to rebuild Black River and expand Falmouth farther inland, reducing the exposure of future development to severe weather.
Bartlett also outlined hospital reconstruction and refurbishment in western Jamaica, placing public services alongside visitor facilities as part of the rebuilding effort.
In Lucea, he envisages a greater role for maritime tourism, including pleasure boats and yachts, as additional accommodation and entertainment offerings take shape across the region.
A planned Grand Palladium expansion, Bartlett pointed out, would add approximately 1,000 rooms, bringing the complex to nearly 3,000. He also identified casino development at Princess Grand Jamaica in Green Island as another addition to the tourism offering, with an anticipated inauguration in March 2027.
Established operators are using restoration work to refresh their properties.
Bartlett highlighted Sandals’ South Coast, Montego Bay and Royal Caribbean resorts, along with refurbishment plans from Hyatt.
“You should come to see what Sandals has done,” he said of the South Coast property.
His invitation reflected a broader message to returning guests. Familiar destinations are changing as operators restore damaged properties and redesign spaces and experiences.
Getting visitors to those resorts more efficiently is another priority.
Bartlett outlined proposed north coast highway improvements to ease bottlenecks around Salem, Priory, Runaway Bay and Discovery Bay. Plans for the Montego Bay-to-Negril route include bypassing Hopewell and Sandy Bay.
The projects would address a persistent frustration for travellers and residents alike, reducing time spent moving through congested towns.
He was particularly enthusiastic about the Montego Bay Perimeter Road, which he said was expected to open before the end of 2026.
“I drove on it two days ago,” Bartlett said. “It is absolutely fantastic and the view is to die for.”
Bartlett’s aviation agenda includes proposed airports at Vernamfield in Clarendon and Little London near Negril.
He also discussed ambitions to accommodate larger aircraft and strengthen connections with distant markets, including India, China and the Gulf countries.
The proposals, at different stages of planning and development, reflect the scale of Jamaica’s effort to widen its international reach.
Within Montego Bay, Bartlett pointed to waterfront redevelopment and planning discussions with Prime Minister Andrew Holness and other officials about the Hip Strip and Elegant Corridor.
The Ministry of Tourism has separately outlined proposals for a waterfront boardwalk and a pedestrianized Hip Strip featuring restaurants, shopping, entertainment and local culture.
Such development could encourage visitors to spend more time exploring the city and create opportunities for Jamaican businesses to share in tourism earnings.
Bartlett also identified improvements to the Montego Bay Convention Centre as part of strengthening the destination’s appeal.
Beyond the construction projects, he emphasized the workers who will deliver the visitor experience.
“We are excited that we are building the human capital that is required to respond to this new demand,” Bartlett added.
Training and professional certification are central to that preparation and to the ministry’s Tourism 3.0 agenda, which connects infrastructure and new experiences with workforce development.
For Canadian travel partners, the request is clear.
The seats are available, and Jamaica needs travellers to fill them.
For the island’s residents, a successful winter would help sustain households and businesses while rebuilding continues.
Bartlett is counting on those visitors to support the recovery and return to see its results.
