KINGSTON, Jamaica, October 14, 2026: The Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) welcomed some 310 participants, including students and teachers from 28 schools to Sandals Dunn’s River on September 30 for its Tourism AI Youth Forum, a signature event of Tourism Awareness Week. Staged by the JTB’s Tourism Information Centre under the theme ‘Artificial Intelligence and Digital Technologies: The Power of Curiosity,’ the forum challenged young Jamaicans to imagine how technology will shape the way the world experiences the island.

The forum was the culmination of the JTB’s AI Challenge Competition, held on September 16 for schools with Tourism Action Clubs. Four schools entered: Wolmer’s Trust High School for Boys; Wolmer’s Trust High School for Girls; Glenmuir High School and The Convent of Mercy Academy ‘Alpha’.

 Glenmuir High School and The Convent of Mercy Academy ‘Alpha’ were shortlisted and presented their concepts at the forum. Glenmuir took top honours with JamTour AI. Their proposed platform focussed on skills and labour shortage in tourism and will help tourism businesses predict demand, match staff to the skills they need and manage visitor requests, while keeping human hospitality at the centre. Alpha’s focus was on over tourism, which saw them proposing solutions that will reduce overtourism by protecting natural and cultural heritage while ensuring tourism benefits local communities. Minister of Tourism, the Hon. Edmund Bartlett, urged students to see tourism as a pathway to ownership, not only employment. “We want to move from workers to entrepreneurs and from entrepreneurs to owners,” he said.

“Tourism is a people business, and the people who will lead it tomorrow are sitting in our classrooms today,” said Donovan White, Director of Tourism. “What we saw from these students was not theory. The Jamaica Tourist Board will continue to create platforms where this talent can be seen, developed and connected to the industry.”

Students also heard a keynote address from Jamaican academic Professor Howard Goode, AI Strategy, Product and Workflow Transformation Professor at Bentley University.  The engaging presentation, titled ‘What If? Reimagining Jamaica Tourism Through Curiosity + AI’, showcased real-world possibilities in real time, widening students’ perspective on how they can leverage AI, especially in tourism.

Guests were also treated to a guided exhibition featuring the JTB, Expedia, Jamaica College Robotics Club, NovaCore Labs, STEAMHouse and the University of Technology, Jamaica. “Every year, the youth forum during Tourism Awareness Week allows us to meet young people where their interests are,” said Lucretia Green, Manager of the JTB’s Tourism Information Centre. “This year, the students did not simply learn about artificial intelligence. They used it, questioned it and built ideas with it. That curiosity is exactly what our industry needs.”

The programme concluded with a surprise performance by reggae artiste Agent Sasco.

Tourism Awareness Week was observed from September 27 to October 3, 2026, opening on World Tourism Day under this year’s global theme, ‘Digital Agenda and Artificial Intelligence to Redesign Tourism.’

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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/.