KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC – Jamaica has used its participation at the International Tourism Trade Fair (FITUR 2026) in Spain to inform the international community that the country is not simply rebounding from the ravages of Hurricane Melissa last October, but is rebuilding with purpose.
Recovery is demand plus supply, inventory must return, but confidence must return faster,” said Donovan White, director of tourism.
“At FITUR, we strengthened airlift and marketing alignment in Europe, sharpened our digital focus, and advanced the partnerships that keep Jamaica visible and bookable as rooms come back on stream,” White added.
Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett said in a statement Monday that Jamaica is inviting investment from the Development Bank of Latin America (CAF) and the Caribbean and private-sector partners to accelerate resilient infrastructure and a reimagined tourism product.
“Resilience is now the foundation of investor confidence and community protection,” he added.
The statement said Jamaica has concluded its engagements at FITUR 2026, with the Ministry of Tourism reporting measurable momentum in its tourism rebound, greater alignment with major hotel partners to accelerate reopening timelines, deeper coordination with key airlift and marketing partners, and expanding investor interest in aviation and destination development.
According to the statement, Jamaica used the event to press for faster reopening schedules and stronger worker-support mechanisms as significant properties restore inventory.
It said that in meetings with Grupo Piñero and Hyatt leadership, Jamaica highlighted the economic drag from the closure of approximately 1,000 rooms in the Montego Bay area and outlined practical requirements to accelerate reopening, including the mobilisation of skilled labour, improved import logistics, and enabling administrative measures.
The statement said the parties agreed to prioritise earlier timelines where feasible and to advance a follow-up visit to Jamaica involving Hyatt, Bahía, and Tortuga interests to confirm reopening schedules by property and explore expansion plans.
The ministry said the most significant outcome of Jamaica’s participation came when the United Nations World Tourism Organization named Jamaica the world’s tourism resilience hub, a global endorsement of the country’s leadership in crisis readiness and recovery.
Bartlett also presented Jamaica’s case for tourism recovery and the need for resilience investment, highlighting national stability and the discipline shown in the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa, when approximately 1.5 million people were left without necessities for nearly 60 days.
He also referenced Jamaica’s leadership in establishing February 17 as Global Tourism Resilience Day, with a proposed observance in Nairobi, Kenya, next month.
“UN Tourism’s announcement confirms what we have been building for years: Jamaica is a global centre for resilience thinking and recovery action. As the tourism resilience hub of the world, we will help to shape the tools, partnerships, and best practices that enable destinations to recover faster and grow stronger aftershocks,” Bartlett said.
The statement said that, in a separate engagement with Bahía Príncipe, Jamaica, it advanced the local-first strategy to deepen local procurement and increase tourism-dollar retention through stronger linkages.
It said Bahía indicated a phased reopening intention of approximately 50 per cent of room stock (about 650 rooms) by May, with the remainder targeted by November, alongside discussions on market communications timed to restore confidence and support occupancy. Jamaica will formally encourage an earlier opening where possible, given the employment and economic implications, the statement said, adding that with room stock gradually returning, Jamaica also moved to secure tighter airlift and demand-building coordination.
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