Pictured: Minister of Tourism, Hon Edmund Bartlett, greets workers at Royalton Negril on the property’s reopening on Tuesday August 25, 2026.

KINGSTON, Jamaica – August 27, 2026 — The August 25^th reopening of Royalton Negril marks another significant milestone in Jamaica’s tourism recovery. 960 workers return to employment as the resort resumes operations following an extensive post-Hurricane Melissa restoration and refresh. This represents 573 rooms within the sector’s room stock. The hotel chain is also set to reopen Royalton Blue Waters and Royalton Hideaway Blue Waters on September 15 which will represent another 578 rooms with 1200 additional staff members back to work.

“The return of Royalton Negril strengthens the recovery of Jamaica’s vital tourism sector while restoring hundreds of livelihoods and renewing economic activity across Negril and surrounding communities. The reopening comes as hotels across the island continue to return to service, with additional properties scheduled to reopen in the months ahead and reinforces our resilience,” said Minister of Tourism, Hon Edmund Bartlett.

Royalton Negril’s return is part of a phased recovery strategy focused on safely restoring hotel capacity, bringing tourism workers back to their jobs and rebuilding visitor confidence. 80,000 hotel workers within Jamaica’s tourism sector have already returned work, while approximately 5,648 hotel rooms were scheduled to return to inventory through 2026.

“This demonstrates what is possible when the public and private sectors, tourism partners and communities work together toward recovery. It means real income and a return to the livelihoods or our most treasured asset – our people. It means visitor spending and supporting businesses and communities throughout the tourism value chain—from transportation and attractions to agriculture, entertainment and small and medium-sized enterprises,” added Minister of Tourism, Hon Edmund Bartlett.

Jamaica’s wider hotel sector is also continuing its phased recovery. Among the properties scheduled to return later this year are Sea Garden Hotel, Zoetry Montego Bay, Sandals South Coast and Sandals Montego Bay and Sandals Royal Caribbean.

“These reopenings are expected to progressively restore room capacity and provide more for us to market globally. It is a significant move that will support our value proposition to attract more visitors,” said Donovan White, Director of Tourism.

Royalton’s restoration program has also focused on preparing its properties for a strong return, with investments in infrastructure, accommodations and guest experiences. For the 960 employees that just returned, it represents the most immediate and tangible measure of recovery: a return to work, renewed income and the opportunity to once again showcase the island’s world class hospitality. As Jamaica continues to rebuild its tourism capacity, the reopening of Royalton Negril provides a powerful signal of renewed confidence in the destination and the resilience of its tourism workforce.

For more information on planning a trip to Jamaica, visit www.visitjamaica.com.

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ABOUT THE JAMAICA TOURIST BOARD  

The Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB), founded in 1955, is Jamaica’s national tourism agency based in the capital city of Kingston. JTB offices are also located in Montego Bay, Miami, Toronto and London. Representative offices are in Berlin, Madrid, Milan, Amsterdam, Mumbai, Tokyo and Paris.

Jamaica is home to some of the world’s best accommodations, attractions and service providers that continue to receive prominent global recognition. In 2025, TripAdvisor® ranked Jamaica as the #13 Best Honeymoon Destination, #11 Best Culinary Destination, and #24 Best Cultural Destination in the World. In 2024, Jamaica was declared ‘World’s Leading Cruise Destination’ and ‘World’s Leading Family Destination’ for the fifth consecutive year by the World Travel Awards, which also named the JTB the ‘Caribbean’s Leading Tourist Board’ for the 17th consecutive year.

Jamaica earned six Travvy Awards, including a gold for ‘Best Travel Agent Academy Program’ and silver for ‘Best Culinary Destination – Caribbean’ and ‘Best Tourism Board – Caribbean’. The destination also received bronze recognition for ‘Best Destination – Caribbean’, ‘Best Wedding Destination – Caribbean’, and ‘Best Honeymoon Destination – Caribbean’. Additionally, Jamaica received a TravelAge West WAVE award for ‘International Tourism Board Providing the Best Travel Advisor Support’ for a record-setting 12th time.

For details on upcoming special events, attractions, and accommodations in Jamaica, go to the JTB’s Website at www.visitjamaica.com or call the Jamaica Tourist Board at 1-800-JAMAICA (1-800-526-2422). Follow the JTB on Facebook, X, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube. View the JTB blog at www.visitjamaica.com/blog/.