Jamaica has had “no major tourism fallout” from the passage of Hurricane Beryl, according to Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett, with its top tourism destinations on the north coast, from Montego Bay to Ocho Rios and Negril, spared significant damage.
“While there have been some reports of fallen trees, debris, flooding and power outages, we are grateful that there has been no wide-scale impact to our general tourism infrastructure,” said Bartlett.
One tourism destination, however, did experience significant damage: the area of Treasure Beach on the island’s southern coast.
Homes and businesses have suffered “widespread property damage,” according to a statement from the Jakes Resort, the area’s top hotel.
“There is widespread property damage in and around Treasure Beach and southern St. Elizabeth,” the property said. “Homes and the livelihoods of farmers, shop-keepers, restaurants, and other businesses have suffered extensive damage.”
The island’s Tourism Emergency Operations Center reported that a limited number of tourists required relocation due to blocked roadways or due to precautionary measures.
“Thanks to the collaborative efforts of our TEOC team and tourism partners, visitors were safely relocated from one location to another,” Bartlett said.
“We are also aware of isolated reports of property damage,” he said. “Post-hurricane impact assessments are now underway and are being led by the Tourism Product Development Company’s product quality team, and we will have a clearer picture of the steps that will have to be taken to address any concerns in the coming days.”
