MONTEGO BAY — In the days following the devastating passage of Hurricane Melissa, Jamaican Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett briefly assessed the extent of the damage, measured the strength and determination of his people, and counted the number of days remaining before the start of the tourist season.
Then, he rolled up his sleeves and, after taking into consideration as many variables as possible (as well as taking a deep breath), he announced: “December 15th.”
And this past weekend, at a press conference at Iberostar Selection Rose Hall Suites in Montego Bay on Dec. 14 along with other events, Minister Bartlett was not a little proud (and rightly so) to be able to say “Mission accomplished!” in the face of this observation: Jamaica is fully operational for visitors, and almost 75% of its rooms are accessible for travellers.
Edmund Bartlett, Jamaica’s Minister of Tourism
HUMANITARIAN CELEBRATIONS
Jamaicaʻs Ministry of Tourism and the Jamaica Tourist Board set the stage with the powerhouse press conference on Dec. 14, followed on Dec. 15 with a commemorative mass highlighting both Thanksgiving and Jamaica’s strong comeback, and a festive luncheon-conference back at Iberostar Selection Rose Hall Suites.
The event had an air of reunion and recognition, as the approximately 120 guests congratulated each other on all the work accomplished.
Among the guests were participants in the One Love Affair humanitarian FAM trip, which brought together the 50 top-performing Canadian travel agents in Jamaica. Following the ʻBack to Jamaicaʻ FAM trip hosted earlier this month by Sandals Resorts International at Sandals Dunnʻs River, this FAM was even bigger and covered an even wider area.
INSPECTION TOURS
The slogan ‘Come back to give back’ is likely to circulate widely within the industry over the coming months, as the JTB’s Judy Nash and Angella Bennett can attest
After another heartfelt speech by Minister Bartlett, the media, travel advisors and other participants embarked on a tour of facilities, infrastructure and functioning establishments located around Montego Bay, to see for themselves that Jamaica is indeed ready to welcome the world again.
Besides the vast Falmouth cruise terminal, which has resumed receiving cruise ships three times a week, the tour included a visit to a seaside restaurant known for observing the phenomenon of bioluminescence in the waters (Glistening Waters Jamaica); Opulenz Villa beach in St. Ann’s Bay, which adjoins the huge Royalton White Sands hotel (which is otherwise operational), as well as the vast Ocean Coral Springs complex.
RESILIENCE & REOPENINGS
Lisa Henderson with Voyages Club Aventure in Ottawa, is not surprised that Jamaica has recovered so quickly.
“They are very resilient, and with time and previous hurricanes, they have learned to prepare and react quickly,” she said.
Even though it’s not always easy for her to find the right establishment that will meet her clients’ needs, due to the many hotels undergoing reconstruction, Henderson notes that the demand is there. “People want to come back, and many already feel confident,” she says.
If all goes according to plan, the last hotels in Jamaica still affected by Melissa should have reopened by November 2026, according to current schedules.
Until then, the ʻTravel Alertsʻ section of VisitJamaica.com, which is regularly updated, provides a list of all Jamaican hotels and their status; if a property is closed, the expected reopening date is indicated.
A VERY MEMORABLE MASS
A special mass at the Burchell Memorial Baptist Church in Montego Bay had something of a grand mass of gratitude about it, a transmission of wishes for tourism’s success, with Visit Jamaica posters and banners displayed in front of and inside the church.
Among the dignitaries present, Christopher Jarret, president of the Jamaica Hotel and Tourism Association, took the opportunity to thank all the industry workers who were able to recover quickly and effectively after Hurricane Melissa, and less than five years after the COVID-19 pandemic. “While everyone recovered from COVID-19 on their own, this time we all recovered together!” he said.
Lisa Henderson and her husband, Mokanzo Basiala
Between sermons and incredible choir performances that transformed the church into a lively performance hall, Minister Bartlett also stepped up to the lectern.
“First, I would like to thank all those who showed charity towards their fellow citizens, during and after the hurricane, whether by helping someone or offering them shelter,” he said.
“Melissa was a truly powerful hurricane, but the hand of God was there and it was even stronger,” he added, before launching into a plea for tourism.
“Nothing is more fragile than tourism, but nothing bounces back so quickly,” he said. “In 2020, everyone thought that COVID had killed this industry; two years later, it has returned, stronger than ever!”
Lead image caption: Minister Bartlett and Christopher Jarrett, surrounded by travel advisors and some Jamaican tourism stakeholders (all photos courtesy Gary Lawrence)
Burchell Memorial Baptist Church in Montego Bay
