Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett is eyeing Mandeville as a key addition to Jamaica’s emerging edu-tourism product, as part of a broader push to diversify the island’s hospitality offerings beyond traditional leisure travel.

Speaking at the Appleton Estate Experience on Thursday, Bartlett said the south-central town—known for its concentration of educational institutions—holds strong potential to attract knowledge-based travellers, including students, researchers and academics seeking immersive learning experiences.

The minister was addressing stakeholders during day one of a two-day tour across the parishes of Manchester and St Elizabeth and the wider South Coast corridor, aimed at assessing recovery efforts and engaging industry players following the passage of Hurricane Melissa on Tuesday, October 28, 2025.

Bartlett argued that Jamaica has not fully tapped into the growing global demand for edu-tourism, noting that towns such as Malvern, Brown’s Town and Papine could also be repositioned as knowledge hubs due to their cluster of schools and training institutions.

“Knowledge is a big part of the tourism experience, and we want to position some of our towns that have that capability as edu-tourism centres of Jamaica,” he said, pointing to international examples like Dublin where students converge annually for cultural and academic exposure.

Beyond education, Bartlett also highlighted the untapped potential of heritage tourism. He noted that global travellers are increasingly seeking ancestral and cultural linkages, visiting cemeteries, historic districts and diaspora museums tied to their forebears.

“People do travel all over the world to visit cemeteries and to also visit the museum of what they call the diaspora,” Bartlett explained.

Referencing a visit by Sebastian Coe, president of World Athletics, Bartlett said such experiences underscore Jamaica’s global familial ties. He noted that much of Jamaica’s oral history is preserved in cemeteries, tombstones and cenotaphs, which can be integrated into meaningful tourism experiences.

The minister also pointed to ongoing restoration efforts led by the Tourism Enhancement Fund, which has invested heavily in rehabilitating heritage sites, including churches damaged during Hurricane Melissa.

With recovery underway along the South Coast, Bartlett signalled that integrating edu-tourism and heritage tourism into Jamaica’s national strategy could open new economic pathways while deepening the destination’s appeal to a more diverse global market.