Jamaica Sees ‘Strong Demand’ One Year After Hurricane Melissa

Jamaica is seeing “strong demand” ahead of the winter travel season and one year after Hurricane Melissa struck the island, according to the Jamaica Tourist Board. 

On Oct. 28, 2025, Melissa made landfall as a Category 5 hurricane in the southwestern region of the country. Within months, tourism began recovering, especially because the eastern parts of Jamaica, such as Negril, were largely unscathed. However, many hotels and resorts in heavily affected areas, such as Montego Bay and the South Coast, needed time to rebuild. 

Yet this week, Edmund Bartlett, Jamaica’s Minister of Tourism, told Travel Market Report that tourism is “very strong” heading into winter. 

“We were always confident in Jamaica’s resilience, but the pace of the recovery has been remarkable. It reflects the commitment of our tourism workers, hotel partners and communities, and the loyalty of travelers who came back to support the island,” he said. “We’re investing in our people, infrastructure, and connectivity through our Tourism 3.0 strategy.” 

He noted that investment is paying off: Jamaica recently climbed four places in the World Economic Forum’s Travel & Tourism Development Index, the largest gain of any country in the Americas. Up until October 2026, the country saw 1.8 million stopovers and more than 900,000 cruise passengers this year, “highlighting a strong pace towards 3 million arrivals overall,” Bartlett said. 

He credited the recovery to expansion of airlift from different parts of the world and the quickened pace that hotels and resorts took to reopen. Some airlines have even added capacity; for example, Breeze Airways introduced twice-weekly service from Tampa, and Canadian carrier Porter Airlines is adding nearly 5,000 seats for the winter season. 

“The continued confidence of our international airline partners, coupled with the reopening of our hotels and ongoing investments in tourism infrastructure, reflects the strength of Jamaica’s recovery,” Bartlett said. “We remain committed to expanding connectivity, enhancing the visitor experience and ensuring that tourism growth continues to benefit communities across the island.”  

Jamaica has showcased its tourism recovery at recent travel industry events this fall, including JAPEX and World Travel Week. In terms of events in general, Jamaica is also gearing up to host Reggae Marathon in December and Reggae Month in February.

Hotel and Resort Updates 

Today, about 80% of Jamaica’s room inventory is operational, and Jamaica Tourist Board expects it to reach 90% by Dec. 1. Notably, all five Royalton Resorts in Jamaica officially reopened in September, and a few other big reopenings are soon to follow. 

“Behind every hotel reopening are Jamaican team members eager to welcome guests and local businesses ready to reconnect with visitors,” said Philip Rose, deputy director of tourism for the Jamaica Tourist Board.  “As more properties welcome guests this winter, we look forward to sharing the warmth and personal hospitality that keep travelers coming back to Jamaica.”   

Many of the properties are reopening after extensive renovations that are set to enhance the experience even more. For example, Bahia Principe Explore Jamaica will reopen on Dec. 1 after a complete update of the hotel’s guest rooms, common areas, dining outlets, and leisure and entertainment areas.  

Meanwhile, other resorts under Hyatt Inclusive Collection – including Breathless Montego Bay Resort & Spa, Dreams Rose Hall Resort & Spa, Hyatt Zilara Rose Hall, Hyatt Ziva Rose Hall, Secrets Wild Orchid Montego Bay, and Secrets St. James Montego Bay – are now expected to reopen in early 2027.  

Sandals Resorts will soon reveal a multi-million-dollar renovation of three Jamaica resorts: Sandals South Coast will reopen on Nov. 18, while Sandals Montego Bay and Sandals Caribbean Cay (formerly known as Sandals Royal Caribbean) will reopen on Dec. 18.  

JOIA Rose Hall by Iberostar and Coyaba Beach Resort are also set to open for the winter season.