Jamaica’s Minister of Tourism, Edmund Bartlett, delivered an address to the Jamaican diaspora community at the Embassy of Jamaica on April 8. In his statement, Bartlett unveiled that Jamaica welcomed over one million visitor arrivals and generated $956 million in foreign exchange earnings in the first quarter of 2026. This was just five months after Hurricane Melissa disrupted the area.

Bartlett encouraged the continued amplification of Jamaica’s story on the world stage.

The minister noted that Jamaica’s first-quarter performance did not happen by accident. Despite the disruption caused by Hurricane Melissa, the island’s tourism industry maintained momentum.

“These figures speak to the resilience of the destination and global support that our island continues to receive. The world is confident in our ability to recover from disruptions and deliver top-class hospitality at every level,” said Bartlett.

Director of Tourism, Donovan White, said: “Surpassing one million visitor arrivals in under six months since the passage of Hurricane Melissa is a remarkable achievement for Jamaica.”

“It speaks directly to the resilience of our tourism sector and the unwavering commitment of our partners and the Jamaican people. I extend sincere thanks for their continued confidence in our destination,” added White.

“Encouragingly, we have recorded year-to-date growth of 25 percent from Latin America and 7 percent from Asia — clear indicators that our strategy to diversify and expand into new markets is delivering meaningful results.”

Bartlett closed his address with a direct and personal call to action for every member of the Jamaican diaspora: “Tonight is both a thank you and an invitation. Continue telling our story with pride.”

Image: Bartlett, with Ambassador for Jamaica to the United States, Major General (Ret’d) Anthony Anderson (1st L), Deputy Director of Tourism, Philip Rose and members of the Diaspora in Washington D.