Jamaica is eyeing a full restoration of its tourism offering in the wake of Hurricane Melissa by December 15, the country's tourism leaders announced on Friday.
Just days after the Category 5 storm wreaked havoc across the island country and other parts of the Caribbean, Jamaica’s Ministry of Tourism announced it has activated a high-level Hurricane Melissa Recovery Task Force and a companion Tourism Resilience Coordination Committee (Tourism Cares) to ensure public and private sectors move forward with recovery hand in hand.
The effort will see officials channel relief and support to the impacted local tourism workers as well as deploy clear communication regarding tourism recovery and the ultimate restoration of tourism infrastructure such as roads, airports, resorts, attractions and more.
"Recovery cannot be left to chance. We are aligning marketing, communications, infrastructure repairs, aid, logistics, and every enabling support behind a single objective: full industry operation by December 15," Bartlett said in a statement.
"Progress will be tracked through the Ministry of Tourism with regular public updates, so workers, visitors, and partners can plan with confidence," added Bartlett.
"Tourism’s strength lies not just in its product offerings, but in its people and partnerships. The speed and synergy of our response show the industry’s resilience and our unwavering commitment to recovery with empathy, compassion, and innovation."
The island's Recovery Task Force, which will prioritize rapid assessments, product rehabilitation and service readiness across resorts, attractions, airports/ports and key corridors in the coming weeks, will be led by Chairman John Byles, Executive Deputy Chairman of Chukka Caribbean Adventures, with Bartlett serving as Chairman Emeritus.
Meanwhile, the Tourism Resilience Coordination Committee or Tourism Cares will work to identify, coordinate and mobilize assistance in the form of cash, in-kind goods, skilled volunteers and technical expertise to assist the country's workers, micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) and communities that drive the island's tourism economy.
For the latest travel news, updates and deals, subscribe to the daily TravelPulse newsletter.
Topics From This Article to Explore
