TOURISM Minister Edmund Bartlett says Jamaica’s reclassification to a Level 2 travel advisory by the United States reflects growing international confidence in the island’s recovery and its globally unique approach to destination assurance, almost three months after the passage of Hurricane Melissa.

Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness also welcomed the decision, underscoring its importance for the tourism sector and investor confidence.

The US Government on Saturday revised its travel advisory for Jamaica from Level 3 to Level 2, noting that while parts of Jamaica, including Black River and Montego Bay, remain in varying stages of recovery following the Category 5 hurricane on October 28, 2025, all major airports have reopened and commercial flights have resumed.

Washington had elevated the advisory in the immediate aftermath of the storm which caused extensive damage across several western parishes and resulted in economic losses estimated at between US$6 billion and US$8 billion.

Welcoming the improved advisory level, Bartlett described the move as a strong vote of confidence in Jamaica’s resilience and its commitment to ensuring a safe, secure, and seamless experience for visitors.

“A category two designation reflects a growing and indeed heightened confidence in the destination assurance that Jamaica continues to offer its partners as well as its visitors and source markets across the world. Jamaica is, in fact, the only country in the world that now has a white paper — soon to be a fully developed strategy and indeed a policy — on destination assurance,” said Bartlett in a statement on Sunday.

“Destination assurance makes the promise to ensure a safe, secure and seamless experience for visitors who come to the country, and it calls for the all-of-us involvement as we have been seeing — security, health, local government, public order, sanitation, public works — all the critical components of what enables a safer and secure movement within and without of the country by both our locals as well as our visitors,” he added.

The minister noted that the reclassification comes on the heels of one of the worst weather events in the history of Jamaica, touting the country’s ‘world-class recovery’. He further noted that tourism investments were not shaken by the events of October 28, 2025, and Jamaica’s future, in terms of investment and inventory, remains secure.

“The prime minister’s stated intention to re-imagine the country — and by extension, destination Jamaica — is another powerful statement that has enured confidence in the marketplace because now the market sees a future also for tourism that’s going to be different, more resilient. And that resilience gives confidence that we will be safer and even more secure against future disruptions,” declared Bartlett.

He thanked the relevant stakeholders who have collaborated to enable a better sense of safety, security, and seamlessness for visitors and locals, noting that it is their contribution and hard work that causes source markets to have confidence in the island and the security it provides tourists.

“We are now buoyed by this elevated level, and with it we will ensure that the strength of our international elevated positions will be leveraged to drive market positions in segments that had previously avoided Jamaica because of these negative designations that we’ve had in the past. I am looking forward to seeing a resurgence of growth as we recover and bring back more of our inventory,” said the minister.

Holness noted that this positive development reflects the country’s sustained improvements in public safety and security. He underscored the importance of this upgrade for tourism, investor confidence, and people-to-people exchanges between both nations.

During a telephone conversation with United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Saturday, Holness discussed ongoing cooperation between Jamaica and the United States, including US assistance in the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa and broader regional economic and security priorities.

Secretary Rubio commended the Government of Jamaica’s management of the hurricane relief and recovery efforts, and acknowledged the rapid restoration of critical services across affected communities after a Category 5 impact.

They also discussed the magnitude and complexity of the reconstruction effort ahead, including the need to build more robust infrastructure to support economic activity. Secretary Rubio reaffirmed the United States’s willingness to support Jamaica’s reconstruction and resilience efforts through continued cooperation and partnership, including private sector participation.

The discussion also focused on Jamaica’s significant reduction in crime in 2025, with Holness outlining the Government’s comprehensive security strategy. Both reaffirmed their shared commitment to combating drugs and firearms trafficking, transnational organised crime, and emerging regional security threats.

Jamaica’s participation in the Gang Suppression Force in Haiti was also highlighted, and Holness reiterated Jamaica’s role as a strong and reliable regional partner, emphasising the importance of continued collaboration with the United States on security, energy, economic development and immigration matters.

BARTLETT… a category two designation reflects a growing and indeed heightened confidence in the destination assurance that Jamaica continues to offer its partners as well as its visitors and source markets across the world