US EditionJamaica Is Open and Welcoming Visitors
Jamaica reopened 85 of 114 hotels and key airports within seven weeks after Hurricane Melissa, restoring tourism that accounts for 35% of the nation's GDP.
- On Monday, Jamaica officially reopened for tourism seven weeks after Hurricane Melissa's Oct. 28 landfall, with Edmund Bartlett, Tourism Minister, touring hotels ahead of the relaunch.
- With tourism accounting for a large share of GDP, officials argued reopening was necessary as tourism supplies roughly 35% of GDP and damage estimates range between $8 billion and $15 billion, officials said.
- Major tourist facilities are already operational as 85 of 114 registered hotels are open, Round Hill Hotel & Villas reopened Dec. 8, all three airports operate, and Sandals and Beaches Resorts has eight properties open.
- Reopening lets tourism workers resume income, supporting local suppliers, officials said, while Rose praised the spirit, saying `The very best of Jamaican spirit has been untouched` and urged visitors, `So if you want to help Jamaica, come visit`.
- Despite the relaunch, long-term recovery needs remain substantial as Hurricane Melissa left nearly five million tons of debris and exposed communities with 120,000 damaged buildings and nearly 950 people in shelters, United Nations officials warned.
13 Articles
13 Articles
Jamaica is open and welcoming visitors
On Oct. 28, Hurricane Melissa made landfall in Jamaica as a powerful Category 5 hurricane, the strongest storm to ever hit the island. The slow-moving hurricane pounded the island with winds that reached 185 miles an hour and flooded central Jamaica with two feet of rain.Understandably, travelers have been cautious about visiting the island during its recovery. However, now, less than two months after Hurricane Melissa touched down, the island i…
Jamaica tourism reopens after devastating Hurricane Melissa. It wasn't easy
Three weeks after Jamaica was battered by the worst hurricane to hit the island on record, roads were still clogged with debris, thousands remained without electricity, and at Jakes Hotel on the island’s hard-hit Treasure Beach, brother and ...
Mom wants to get daughters’ education back on track
Mom wants to get daughters’ education back on track Nearly two months after Hurricane Melissa tore through western Jamaica on October 28, Christmas has settled uneasily in Jacks Gate, New Market, St Elizabeth. For Nadine Samuels, it is marked by what remains - two schoolbooks she managed to save...
Fifty days later, Jamaica struggles to rebuild after the unprecedented destruction of Hurricane Melissa
Current estimates place the total damage and losses at between $8 billion and $15 billion, or almost a quarter of Jamaica’s gross domestic product (GDP), said Dennis Zulu, United Nations resident coordinator for Jamaica, the Bahamas, Bermuda, the Cayman Islands and the Turks and Caicos Islands. The hurricane affected more than 626,000 people and left […]
Disaster Relief Efforts from the Jamaican Diaspora
WASHINGTON, DC – Jamaicans living in the United States and friends of the island have mobilized to send critical relief supplies valued at approximately US$170,000. These supplies are directed to communities devastated by Hurricane Melissa, demonstrating the enduring bond between Jamaica and its global diaspora. A 40-foot container loaded with essential supplies departed the Port of Baltimore on December 11. It is scheduled to arrive in Kingston…
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 34% of the sources lean Left, 33% of the sources are Center, 33% of the sources lean Right
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
