Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett named to MIPAD global travel and hospitality honour roll for 2026

KINGSTON, Jamaica — Edmund Bartlett, Jamaica's Minister of Tourism, has been selected for the Most Influential People of African Descent (MIPAD) Global Top 100 Travel, Tourism and Hospitality list for the Class of 2026.

MIPAD announced the honour in a release issued on Global Africa Day, in collaboration with The Pyne Awards Africa. The yearly ranking honours one hundred leaders of African heritage worldwide whose contributions are driving change across aviation, destination marketing, cultural narrative, and hospitality.

Bartlett's placement on the list reflects Jamaica's prominent role in world tourism and his many years of championing sustainable travel, deeper engagement with the African diaspora, and stronger destination resilience.

"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," the minister said. "Tourism must continue to be a vehicle for empowerment, for telling our stories and for connecting the African Diaspora to opportunity."

Recipients in the Class of 2026 will be formally recognised during MIPAD Lagos Diaspora Week and at related events in New York, with activities scheduled from October 2026 through January 2027.

During Bartlett's tenure, Jamaica's tourism industry has earned international acclaim for advances in health and safety measures, community-based tourism, and partnerships that strengthen the Caribbean's profile as a top destination throughout the year.