Pictured:  Minister of Tourism, Hon Edmund Bartlett, announces that Jamaica will host World Travel Week October 12-15, 2026, at the World Travel Awards Middle East Gala Ceremony at the One and Only One Za’abeel hotel in Dubai on September 13, 2026.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, September 14, 2026 – Jamaica will host World Travel Week, a major gathering of global tourism stakeholders, from October 10–15 at Princess Resorts in Negril. Minister of Tourism Hon. Edmund Bartlett made the announcement at the World Travel Awards in Dubai on Sunday, calling it “a statement that Jamaica is ready, willing, and able to lead the global conversation on the future of travel.”

During his time in Dubai, Minister Bartlett also unveiled the Tourism Resilience Awards, a new initiative recognizing individuals, businesses, and communities across Jamaica, and wider region, who have shown extraordinary resilience in the face of adversity — from hurricanes and the pandemic to economic and climate shocks.

“Tourism resilience is not an abstract concept to us. It is a lived reality,” Bartlett said, citing the hotel workers, tour operators, and guesthouse owners who kept the industry moving through crisis. He added that the initiative would help document and share best practices with destinations worldwide. “World Travel Week gives us an opportunity to share that knowledge, showcase our innovation and connect with global partners on solutions that will strengthen tourism for the future.”

Pictured: Minister of Tourism (L) pauses for a photo opportunity ahead of the World Travel Awards Middle East Gala Ceremony, with Donovan White, Director of Tourism and Graham Cooke, Founder of the World Travel Awards. The event was held at the One and Only One Za’abeel hotel in Dubai on September 13, 2026.

Director of Tourism Donovan White said, “Jamaica has earned its place as one of the world’s most recognised tourism destinations and hosting World Travel Week will showcase our exemplary hospitality and world class experiences.”  

Minister Bartlett has invited regional and international tourism partners, private-sector stakeholders, and academic institutions to join Jamaica for the event. ‘This is where we will show them why Jamaica does not just recover from challenges — we bounce forward,” he said. He is confident that the event will showcase Jamaica’s tourism achievements while demonstrating how the country has transformed its experiences with disruption into knowledge that can benefit the wider industry.

World Travel Week forms part of the prestigious World Travel Awards that was established in in 1993 to acknowledge, reward and celebrate excellence across every key sector of the global travel, tourism and hospitality industries. Today, the World Travel Awards brand is recognised worldwide as the ultimate hallmark of industry excellence.

World Travel Week 2026 will include the following official events; World Travel Awards; World MICE Awards; World Culinary Awards; World Social Media Awards; World Travel Tech Awards; World Cruise Awards; World Villa Awards; 10 Best Showcase; and Global Tourism Resilience Awards.

For more information about Jamaica, please 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/.