Jamaica tourism minister named to MIPAD Global Top 100 list
Key Points(5)
- Jamaica's Minister of Tourism, Edmund Bartlett, has been named to the Most Influential People of African Descent (MIPAD) Global Top 100 in the Travel, Tourism & Hospitality Edition — Class of 2026, recognizing his contributions to the global tourism industry.
- The annual list, announced on Global Africa Day through a collaboration between MIPAD and The Pyne Awards Africa, recognizes 100 people of African descent whose work is shaping the future of travel, tourism and hospitality.
- Honorees are selected for their impact in areas including aviation, destination marketing, cultural storytelling and global hospitality.
- The recognition highlights Jamaica's continued prominence in the international tourism sector and acknowledges Bartlett's efforts to promote sustainable tourism, strengthen engagement with the African diaspora and build a more resilient tourism industry.
- "This recognition is not just for me, but for Jamaica and for the people whose warmth, culture and resilience make our island the heart of global tourism," Bartlett said in a statement.
Jamaica's Minister of Tourism, Edmund Bartlett, has been named to the Most Influential People of African Descent (MIPAD) Global Top 100 in the Travel, Tourism & Hospitality Edition — Class of 2026, recognizing his contributions to the global tourism industry.
The annual list, announced on Global Africa Day through a collaboration between MIPAD and The Pyne Awards Africa, recognizes 100 people of African descent whose work is shaping the future of travel, tourism and hospitality. Honorees are selected for their impact in areas including aviation, destination marketing, cultural storytelling and global hospitality.
The recognition highlights Jamaica's continued prominence in the international tourism sector and acknowledges Bartlett's efforts to promote sustainable tourism, strengthen engagement with the African diaspora and build a more resilient tourism industry.
"This recognition is not just for me, but for Jamaica and for the people whose warmth, culture and resilience make our island the heart of global tourism," Bartlett said in a statement. "Tourism must continue to be a vehicle for empowerment, for telling our stories and for connecting the African diaspora to opportunity."
Honorees will be recognized during a series of MIPAD events between October 2026 and January 2027, including Lagos Diaspora Week and gatherings in New York.
During Bartlett's tenure as tourism minister, Jamaica has received international recognition for initiatives aimed at improving visitor health and safety, promoting community-based tourism and expanding international partnerships that have strengthened the country's position as a leading Caribbean destination.
