Best Way to Support Jamaica? Book a Vacation

Just weeks after Hurricane Melissa devastated areas of Jamaica, the island’s spirit is proving, once again, to be unbreakable. The island, known for its warmth, rhythm, and resilience, is already well on its way to recovery, and preparations for the winter tourist season are in full swing.

“Not all of the island was damaged,” Angella Bennett, Regional Director of Tourism for Canada at the Jamaica Tourist Board told Travel Market Report Canada at Air Canada Vacations’ 50th Anniversary celebration in Cancun last week.

“Ocho Rios, even parts of Montego Bay, are fine. Iberostar is fine, H10 is fine, Moon Palace is fine, and Riu Ocho Rios is fine. So we have sellable products that are good to go.”

Across the island, cleanup crews are busy clearing roadways, restoring services, and bringing communities back online. “A lot of the hotels are operating on full generator power right now,” Bennett said. “But electricity and full water supply should be back in another couple of days. That’s great news.”

Despite the storm’s erratic path—“It was a weird one, because it hit some places and completely missed others” she said, Jamaica’s tourism infrastructure remains remarkably strong. In Negril, beloved resorts like Couples Negril and Couples Ocho Rios are already welcoming guests again, while others such as Secrets and Catalonia are taking a little extra time to complete repairs.

“The good news,” Bennett emphasized, “is that when those properties reopen, they’ll be brand new; fresh, modern, and ready to show off an even better Jamaica product than before.”

And the recovery isn’t stopping there. New resorts and experiences are already slated to open in early 2026, signalling a rejuvenated tourism landscape across the island. “We’re looking great considering what we’ve gone through,” Bennett said. “The best way anyone can support Jamaica right now is simple—book a vacation.”

Visitors planning winter escapes will find the island not just operational, but thriving. “By Christmas, January, February, and into spring, we’ll be even better than before. Most of the repairs were cosmetic—windows, doors, roofing—so in six to eight weeks, we’ll be ready to shine again.”

Bennett says Air Canada and Air Canada Vacations have been key partners in the recovery, providing logistical support and humanitarian aid through GlobalMedic, while continuing to promote Jamaica as a top destination for Canadian travellers. “Their partnership means the world to us, it warms my heart to see how much support has come in.”

“We need to get Jamaica all right, so the world can be all right, because Jamaica is the heart and soul of the world.”