Montego Bay, St James, 23 June 2026
Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett has warned that Jamaica’s tourism industry must be actively protected. He cited climate change and the damage done by Hurricane Melissa as clear threats to the sector the economy relies on most.
Mr Bartlett was speaking on 16 June at the 11th Biennial Jamaica Diaspora Conference at the Montego Bay Convention Centre.
The engine of the economy
The minister described tourism as the main driver of economic growth. He said it accounts for roughly a third of total output and around 18 per cent of government revenue.
In 2024 the island received 4.27 million visitors and earned about US$4.35 billion from tourism, with roughly US$1.7 billion of that staying in the local economy. Those earnings, he noted, support farmers, manufacturers, entertainers, transport operators, craftspeople and small investors, as well as the wider stability of communities and families.
Climate as a business risk
Mr Bartlett argued that climate change should be treated as a matter of economics, business and security, not only as an environmental issue. He pointed to Hurricane Melissa, which caused an estimated US$8.8 billion in physical damage, more than 40 per cent of gross domestic product, as evidence of how exposed tourism infrastructure is.
He also listed coastal erosion, damage to coral reefs, the loss of mangroves and rising sea levels among the pressures facing the industry. He stressed that water, energy, food security and tourism are closely linked.
Ambitious targets
Jamaica is aiming for what the minister calls “10 by 10 by 10”, meaning 10 million visitors a year and US$10 billion in tourism earnings within the next decade. He described diaspora professionals as key partners in building resilience, whether as ambassadors, advisers or advocates for the sector.
What it means for homeowners
Because so many jobs and businesses depend on tourism, the sector’s health feeds directly into household incomes and demand for housing, particularly along the north and west coasts. The minister’s warnings about erosion and sea-level rise are also a reminder for anyone who owns or plans to buy coastal property to consider flood risk, insurance and resilient building standards carefully.
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