MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica; Tuesday, November 3, 2026: Jamaica’s tourism industry is making significant strides in its recovery from Hurricane Melissa, with 92 per cent of the island’s hotel rooms now back in operation, signaling a promising outlook for the upcoming winter tourist season.
President of the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA), O’Brian Heron, disclosed that the recovery has been driven by the tremendous sacrifices and determination of hotel operators and their employees, many of whom worked under difficult circumstances to restore operations following the hurricane.
Speaking at a brunch at the S Hotel Montego Bay following the JHTA’s 65th Anniversary Service of Thanksgiving on Sunday at Trumpet Call Ministries International, Mr. Heron paid special tribute to hotels that maintained operations throughout the crisis, as well as those that reopened within weeks or gradually restored their facilities over the ensuing months.
“Some hotels never closed. When Melissa hit, some hotels actually did not close their doors. Others welcomed visitors in less than a month, while others worked their way back within three to six months,” he noted.
Heron said that behind every reopening were difficult decisions, long working hours and an unwavering commitment to keeping Jamaica’s tourism industry moving forward.
He reported that a further 2,000 rooms are expected to return to operation during November and December, creating employment opportunities for more than 3,000 workers.
The JHTA president said the restoration of hotel capacity was particularly significant for the thousands of families whose livelihoods depend on tourism, adding that the feedback from hoteliers points to a strong winter season.
Meanwhile, Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, has underscored the importance of ensuring that the continued growth of the industry translates into greater economic opportunities, security and prosperity for Jamaicans.
He recalled that when the JHTA was established in 1961, “we bought 235,000 visitors to Jamaica and earned US$37.7 million. Our best position in 65 years was 4.3 million visitors to Jamaica and US$4.5 billion. When we started counting rooms in 1971, we had 8,132 rooms, and we employed 9,388 persons.”
Noting that Jamaica currently has approximately 35,000 hotel rooms and a tourism workforce of about 175,000 people, Minister Bartlett said the industry must look beyond visitor arrivals and hotel occupancy to the wider network of people and businesses that sustain it.
He pointed out that tourism extends into agriculture, manufacturing, transportation, entertainment and the everyday lives of communities, making it a major driver of economic activity across the country.
“Our responsibility is to make those relationships more productive and more rewarding for Jamaicans,” he said, advocating greater participation by local farmers, manufacturers, entrepreneurs and other businesses in the tourism supply chain.
Minister Bartlett argued that increased tourism demand should create more predictable markets for farmers, expand opportunities for manufacturers and give small business operators the confidence to invest and grow.
He also stressed that the industry’s development must be accompanied by improved opportunities for tourism workers, including access to training, certification, career advancement and greater retirement security.
In this regard, he highlighted the work of the Jamaica Centre of Tourism Innovation (JCTI) and the Tourism Workers Pension Scheme as important instruments for strengthening the welfare and professional development of the tourism workforce.
Minister Bartlett described the pension scheme as a world-class initiative, noting that its model has attracted interest from international organizations and other sectors considering similar arrangements.
He maintained that years of service to the tourism industry should be accompanied by greater financial security in retirement and that respect for workers must be reflected in the decisions shaping the sector.
The tourism minister also challenged the JHTA to continue strengthening public-private sector collaboration, championing excellence and encouraging greater participation by local businesses and communities.
He said the future of Jamaican tourism must be built around an industry in which young people can envision rewarding careers, entrepreneurs can identify viable markets and workers can look forward to greater security.
The Minister further emphasized the importance of protecting Jamaica’s natural assets, including its beaches, waters and landscapes, noting that sustainable tourism development must preserve these resources for future generations.
As the JHTA marks 65 years of service to the industry, the messages from both leaders point to a sector focused not only on recovering from the devastation of Hurricane Melissa but also on building a more inclusive, resilient and rewarding tourism economy.
They also paid tribute to the pioneers of the JHTA and its current Executive Director, Camille Needham, for 40 years of sterling service.
