Eastern Jamaica Open For Tourism

With the winter tourist season fast approaching and the western end of Jamaica on the rebound following Hurricane Melissa, tourism stakeholders in the east are declaring boldly that they are open and ready for business.

St. Mary, St. Thomas and Portland are the three parishes which were furthest from Melissa’s path, when the category five storm hit Jamaica on October 28.

While some amount of damage was experienced in several sectors, the parishes have all been making a swift recovery in most areas, including their tourism.

From the cool waterfalls of Portland to the coastal warmth of St. Mary and the greenery of St. Thomas, there is much to see, discover and enjoy in the east.

To this end, Mayor of Port Maria, Councillor Fitzroy Wilson, believes that more attention should be placed on these parishes to retain Jamaica’s tourism dollar in the aftermath of Melissa.

“We know that St. Elizabeth was affected. The type of tourist that goes to St. Elizabeth (enjoys) similar settings that can be done in Portland and St. Mary. Whilst we might not be open for business on the south coast, those tourism opportunities can come to the eastern side of the island where the tourism dollar can still be coming to Jamaica,” Mr. Wilson said.

The Mayor mused that without these tourism businesses being supported, staff will have to be laid off, triggering a downturn in the parish’s economy.

Furthermore, he added that the Ian Fleming International Airport, located in Boscobel, can accommodate flights into this side of the island, “and can have commerce in St. Mary going again”.

President and Chief Executive Officer of the Airports Authority of Jamaica (AAJ), Audley Deidrick, told JIS News that the Ian Fleming International Airport was “up and running” just two days after Hurricane Melissa.

He noted that there are daily American Airlines flights out of Miami, Florida and travellers can book flights from anywhere in the United States and connect through Miami, to get to the port.

“It’s a smaller airport compared to the Norman Manley International Airport and the Sangster International Airport, and it has much lower traffic volume so it’s a much more intimate, direct services to passengers,” Mr. Deidrick said.

Describing the facility as “comfortable and convenient”, Mr. Deidrick noted that the airport is equipped with the same kind of electronic passenger processing facilities as the other airports.

“Most importantly, the airport is situated in Boscobel which is a few minutes from Ocho Rios and about 45 minutes to Port Antonio. It offers easy, convenient reach to those destinations that are in the northeastern part of the island,” the CEO pointed out.

Some of these destinations include villas, apartments, Airbnbs and hotels, offering visitors a world class stay with an intimate view of Jamaica’s renowned natural beauty.

Among them is the Jamaica Palace Hotel – the largest in Port Antonio, stretched across five acres of land overlooking the Turtle Harbor.

An 18th century European palace, the property features 80 comfortable, air-conditioned rooms, restaurants and bars and a unique pool shaped as the island of Jamaica.

Interestingly, on the home page of their website, a message is displayed in large capital letters which reads: “We were not affected by Hurricane Melissa as we are located on the eastern side of Jamaica. We are still in operation and open for bookings.”

Supervisor, Malaysia Telpha-Johnson, told JIS News that the storm had forced some cancellations and that rebooking has been slow.

“We had a lot of bookings then cancellations because of the storm and because of the (closure) of most of the airports, most persons cancelled their flights,” she said.

She adds that, “We’re now open for bookings so if you would like to rebook with us, we are here with open arms to welcome you all. We are a bed and breakfast so there is breakfast with your bookings – a choice of continental or Jamaican breakfast.”

She stated further that, “Portland is the best parish ever. The food, views, beaches and hotels – everything is just perfect, including our hotel.”

Additionally, one of the most globally known jerk spots in the parish, and arguably across all of Jamaica, is the Boston Jerk Centre. The usually lively hotspot has seen better days and vendors there say that post Hurricane Melissa, there has been less visitors.

“It’s very slow right now. We used to see roughly 150 persons each day, now we might find like 50 a day,” Owner of I&R Jerk Centre, Garth Neufville said.

Despite this, the entrepreneur is hopeful that things will return to normalcy over the Christmas period.

“We are ready to take on any amount of customers; we already recovered from the storm. All the business are up and running. If you come down right now, you can get fish, lobster, jerk pork, jerk chicken, sweet potato, roast breadfruit, festival, soup – it’s all here,” Mr. Neufville stated.

For those visitors who are seeking the thrill of outdoors, Winnifred Beach continues to be one of Jamaica’s best, with pristine white sand and exciting culinary options.

JIS News spoke to Mark Brown who operates a restaurant at the beach. The entrepreneur said that Hurricane Melissa did not significantly impact the infrastructure at the popular attraction and it is currently open and ready to accommodate visitors.

He believes that due to the perception that all of Jamaica has been destroyed by Melissa, the usual influx of global travellers at this time of year is not being experienced currently.

“We opened the second day after Melissa. The only damage was a tree limb broken off or fallen leaves, but we cleaned up quickly. It’s a local, public beach. We only ask for a small contribution at the gate. We have everything here. You can rent beach beds, we do boat tours, and we can take you to see the turtles. I welcome all my friends from the United States,” Mr. Brown said.

Elsewhere in the parish, the popular Reach Falls was undergoing repairs after suffering minor damage from Melissa, but sources there indicate that by December, the property will be open in its full glory.

Persons can also enjoy the beach and river at Frenchman’s Cove where operations have resumed following Melissa.

Over in St. Thomas, the Grand Begonia Beach Resort is one of the newest accommodations in the parish offering travellers a cozy, beach side stay in the quiet community of Lyssons.

Following Hurricane Melissa, additional hands were employed to assist the eleven members of staff in getting the property back to normalcy.

Co-Owner, Janice McIntosh, told JIS News that, “only limited structural damage was sustained in the Hurricane and most importantly, there were no personal injuries.”

Currently, the Hotel boasts 20 air-conditioned rooms, cabanas, a kitchen, dining area and a bar. Guests can spend a day at the beach, enjoy a night out, host a function or make it an extended stay. There is also a lively roster of activities which include karaoke and a games night.

“Grand Begonia Beach Resort is the perfect destination for relaxation, family escapes and exploring the rich, natural beauty and culture of St. Thomas,” Mrs. McIntosh summarised.

The Yallahs-based Russell’s Jamaica Resort is another gem in St. Thomas. Acting Manager, Marchia Hood, told JIS News that, “Hurricane Melissa did not impact us a lot in terms of building structure but it dampened guest arrivals”.

In addition to the rooms overlooking the sea and an on-site pool, the property is a popular spot for dining in the eastern parish.

“We are picking up a bit as things go on gradually. Our ambience here is nice, we have fresh meals cooked from the heart and we’re family oriented. Our hotel is breathtaking and relaxing and when you come, you will have a good experience and build memories that will last forever,” Ms. Hood said.

Other attractions in the parish include Roselle Falls – a roadside oasis by the sea; Grandpa Falls – a hidden gem nestled in the hills; and the mighty Reggae Falls with its breathtaking scenes.

Importantly, too, access to St. Thomas has never been more seamless with the Paul Bogle Highway under the multibillion-dollar Southern Coastal Highway Improvement Project. The new road was unaffected by Hurricane Melissa.

The winter tourist season in Jamaica runs annually from mid-December to mid-April and is usually the peak season for visitors to the island.