KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) has secured one of the travel industry’s most meaningful honors, taking home the title of Agents’ Favourite National Tourist Board at the 2026 Travel Gossip Awards. Unlike industry awards judged by panels, this distinction is granted directly by the travel agents who promote and sell Jamaican getaways to travelers every single day, making it a true reflection of on-the-ground industry sentiment.
This recognition is no random win: it directly mirrors the JTB’s long-term, consistent investment in the United Kingdom’s travel trade sector, and its unwavering dedication to arming frontline agents with the resources, professional training, and ongoing support they need to confidently market Jamaica as a top travel destination.
Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett emphasized the central role that partner agents play in Jamaica’s tourism success, noting that these industry professionals act as the destination’s most reliable ambassadors. Even through periods of global uncertainty and local disruption, Bartlett shared, agents have continued to showcase Jamaica in a positive light to their clients. “We are therefore grateful that they have recognized the JTB as their tourism board of choice. This speaks to our continued partnership and mutual confidence,” Bartlett said.
The award was formally announced during the 2026 Travel Celebration ceremony, and it comes on the heels of a remarkable show of industry support for Jamaica after the island was hit by Hurricane Melissa in late 2025. In the wake of the storm, the UK travel trade rallied behind the destination, driving a surge of agent enthusiasm that has now translated to this top honor.
Donovan White, JTB’s Director of Tourism, stressed that the award is not just a win for the board, but for every UK agent that has stood by Jamaica through both prosperous periods and unexpected challenges. “The love and confidence agents have shown for Jamaica, particularly in recent months, has been inspirational,” White shared.
Over the 12 months leading up to the award, the JTB’s dedicated UK team has prioritized deep, consistent engagement with travel agent partners. Key initiatives included the 2025 Jamaica Travel Market, a one-of-a-kind destination showcase that brought agents and tour operators together for an immersive, firsthand experience of Jamaican culture and hospitality. Beyond the flagship event, the team has rolled out ongoing professional training, hosted familiarization trip programmes for agents, and launched collaborative co-operative marketing campaigns designed to drive more bookings.
This latest Travel Gossip Award adds to a breakthrough season of industry honors for the JTB. Earlier in 2026, the organization claimed the title of Best Tourist Board at the Travel Weekly Globe Travel Awards, one of the UK travel industry’s most prestigious annual events, where winners are selected by thousands of agent readers across the country.
Elizabeth Fox, Regional Director for the UK and Northern Europe at JTB, noted that the organization has made targeted investments in its agent partnership work over the past year, expanding its regional team to add more on-the-ground support and personalized engagement for trade partners. “We have committed ourselves to our travel agent partners in the last 12 months, dedicated staff, expanded the team, more faces, more smiles. And the trade has responded in kind. Seeing agents actively selling Jamaica through every challenge is the greatest recognition of all,” Fox said.
Back-to-back top honors from the UK travel trade have cemented Jamaica’s position as the most popular Caribbean destination for British travelers, while reinforcing the JTB’s reputation as the most supportive, responsive tourist board partner in the industry. Eight weeks after Hurricane Melissa made landfall, Jamaica had already restored 80% of pre-hurricane visitor arrival capacity, and roughly 80% of the island’s hotel accommodation is now fully operational. Today, the destination is open, flourishing, and ready to welcome visitors from across the globe.
Looking ahead, the JTB confirmed it will continue expanding its agent support infrastructure, rolling out new professional development training opportunities, and deepening the collaborative partnerships that have earned the organization consecutive honors from the UK travel trade.