KINGSTON, Jamaica – Jamaica’s Minister of Tourism, Edmund Bartlett, has been named as one of the Most Influential People of African Descent (MIPAD) Global Top 100 in its Travel, Tourism & Hospitality Edition — Class of 2026.
Ed Bartlett (File Photo)The Jamaica Tourism Board said it is an honour that recognises leaders shaping the future of the global tourism industry and that the designation places Jamaica among international destinations at the forefront of tourism leadership.
Nominees were announced on Global African Day through a collaboration between MIPAD and the Pyne Awards Africa. Each year the programme identifies 100 people of African descent whose work is moving the industry forward, including air travel, destination marketing, cultural storytelling, and global hospitality.
The recognition underscores Jamaica’s enduring standing within the global tourism industry and highlights Bartlett’s leadership in championing environmentally responsible travel, strengthening ties with the diaspora community, and building a more resilient 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,” said Bartlett, adding “tourism must continue to be a vehicle for empowerment, for telling our stories and for connecting the African diaspora to opportunity.”
Honorees will be celebrated at various MIPAD functions taking place October 2026 into January 2027, with Lagos Diaspora Week and gatherings in New York among the scheduled occasions.
