H.G. Helps/Contributor

Securing investments in tourism is nothing strange or unusual to Minister of Tourism Edmund Bartlett, but clutching onto billion-dollar guarantees so close to a general election is something that has him smiling from ear to ear, pleasantly surprised.

Bartlett, who has served unbroken as tourism minister since 2016, has seen many records set during his time in office, and as he plays his role in trying to secure a third-straight five-year term in Government for the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), he is buoyed by what the foreign investors have come up with.

“During the last three weeks, I have participated in ribbon-cutting ceremonies for three hotel investment projects in Jamaica, that will redound to the overall benefit of the island,” Bartlett told Our Today. “We are talking about US$3.5 billion in investments. It’s a record, for never before has there been any investment of the kind in tourism, so close to a general election.”

The properties are Harmony Cove, Moon Palace, and The Vista.

Bartlett said that the move by the investors will further add to tourism’s solid showing in its contribution to Jamaica’s gross domestic product.  

“This level of foreign direct investment coming in has enormous potential for GDP growth and will create a significant number of jobs,” Bartlett continued. “Based on the three hotels that we are talking about, it’s easily like about 25,000 jobs that will be available, plus your linkages. But the most important point is the fact that a government, weeks away from an election, can attract that level of investment, is a huge level of confidence in the sector.”

There is yet another multi-billion-dollar signing to be done for the construction of a hotel property in Westmoreland, likely before the general election, and another for St Ann later in the year, Bartlett disclosed.

“We are looking at easily (US) five billion dollars of investment,” Bartlett added.

He has predicted that over the next five years, the monetary flow into Jamaica from tourism alone will be exceedingly high.

Jamaica has so far attracted over 2.6 million visitors to the island since the start of 2025. There have been over 1.9 billion stopover visitors, and over 700 cruise visitors, earning US$2.7 billion so far.

“We are well on track to grow significantly over last year,” Bartlett stated, while campaigning in St Ann, before hitting the road again for further campaign movement in St Mary, Trelawny, his constituency of St James East Central, and other areas in the western end of Jamaica.