A new US$700m highway has opened in Jamaica, the North-South link of Highway 2000, which will dramatically reduce travel times between the north and south coasts. Travel time from Kingston to the north coast town of Ocho Rios, which is very popular with tourists, will be approximately 30 minutes shorter. 

Edmund Bartlett has been appointed Jamaica’s new minister of tourism, returning to the helm of a portfolio he previously held. This follows the February 25th victory at the polls by the Jamaica Labour Party. Bartlett, a marketing executive and long-standing parliamentarian, is no stranger to the tourism portfolio, having served as minister of tourism from 2007 to 2011, as well as opposition spokesman on tourism and more recently, foreign affairs.

Paul Pennicook, director of tourism for the Jamaica Tourist Board, has announced the appointment of Marcia McLaughlin, a hospitality and tourism veteran, as deputy director of tourism, marketing. With her appointment, McLaughlin will have responsibility for developing and coordinating the JTB’s global marketing initiatives, overseeing its public relations and advertising agencies as well as directing its destination marketing, communications, digital marketing and research teams.

Located at the former site of The Ritz-Carlton in Montego Bay, Jamaica, Hyatt Rose Hall is home to both Hyatt Ziva and Hyatt Zilara. Following the completion of an $85 million expansion, renovation and repositioning intended to reinvent this storied destination Breaking Travel News here calls in to see if the property can become the leading all-inclusive destination in Jamaica.

Jamaica and the UK are set to rock to reggae rhythms this February as a series of events are planned across the Caribbean island and Great Britain to celebrate what would have been Bob Marley’s 70th birthday. The late, iconic reggae star Bob Marley is set to be remembered in his homeland of Jamaica with a landmark concert. The artist who is famous for worldwide hits such as ‘No Woman No Cry’ and ‘One Love’ will be honoured by the people of Jamaica and fans from across the world with a musical tribute to the man that dedicated his life to music.

Elizabeth Fox, regional director UK/N Europe, Jamaica talks to Breaking Travel News on Day 3 at World Travel Market 2014.