Jamaica is open and welcoming visitors
On Oct. 28, Hurricane Melissa made landfall in Jamaica as a powerful Category 5 hurricane, the strongest storm to ever hit the island. The slow-moving hurricane pounded the island with winds that reached 185 miles an hour and flooded central Jamaica with two feet of rain.
Understandably, travelers have been cautious about visiting the island during its recovery. However, now, less than two months after Hurricane Melissa touched down, the island is welcoming visitors with the message, "Please come visit."
"We want visitors. More importantly, we are more than equipped to welcome visitors and to give them all that they have grown accustomed to in Jamaica," Philip Rose, deputy director of Jamaica tourism, told me on a recent video call.
"While Hurricane Melissa was one of our most unwanted visitors ever, she came, she left some damage on the island, but over two-thirds of the island is up running properly," he added.
Here’s what you need to know if you want to travel to Jamaica now.
What to know about tourism in Jamaica right now
"All three of the island's airports are open, 70% of hotels will be open by Dec. 15th; by January, that number will go to 80%. And by May, 100% of properties on the island are expected to be open," said Rose.
One reason tourism is recovering so quickly is that the storm's trajectory diverged from the originally forecasted path, which would have taken it directly over Kingston, the island's capital and most heavily populated area. Instead, the storm's eye traveled over the less-developed western and southern coasts. And while Montego Bay was heavily affected and is still recovering — along with many farms and residential areas — most of the other hotel zones on the island have already reopened and are happily welcoming guests.
In fact, I spoke with Rose while he was at a resort in Ochos Rios, where it was a business-as-usual day on the beach. I could spot travelers eating breakfast at umbrella-shaded tables and heading to the sand and surf just behind him.
"The very best of Jamaican spirit has been untouched," Rose said. "You're still being greeted with that warm hospitality that only the Jamaicans can do."
Tourism, said Rose, accounts for nearly a third of the country's gross domestic product, encompassing everything from hotels and restaurants to taxi drivers, farmers and fishermen. "So if you want to help Jamaica, come visit," emphasized Rose.
Here are some things to keep in mind while planning a trip to Jamaica:
- All three domestic and international airports on the island are open and operational
- Kingston — home to more than 90% of Jamaica's population — is fully functioning, with hotels, restaurants, attractions, businesses, hospitals and cultural sites all open as usual
- Major roads, attractions and hotels in the popular resort areas of Ocho Rios, Portland and the Blue Mountains are open and accessible
- Cruise docks are open and operational, and most cruise lines have resumed port calls
- Many major attractions are open and operational, including Dunn's River Falls, Mystic Mountain and Yaaman Adventure Park
- However, many hotels in Montego Bay and the surrounding west coast areas are still assessing damage and working on repairs and may not reopen until May 2026
You can also obtain current reports from the official Jamaica Tourist Board website for up-to-date information.
Hotels in Jamaica
Marika Kessler, CEO of Island Outpost hotels, said the first day of the storm was tense. "Melissa was supposed to enter by Kingston and leave by Ochos Rios, and we evacuated our properties with a very heavy heart not knowing when we would see them or our staff again," she said. But when the storm's path changed, Kessler said that she and Chris Blackwell, founder of the iconic hotel group, were able to jump into action and open all three properties within six days.
"The vegetation may have been a little thin, but the staff could come to work and generate income...and every dollar helps the economy as a whole and ultimately the side of the island that was most affected," she explained.
As we went to press, 85 of the 114 registered hotels across the island are up and running, according to Rose, with more anticipated to open before Christmas.
Here are a few current updates:
- Round Hill Hotel & Villas reopened on Dec. 8. According to the property, "The team has worked with great care following Hurricane Melissa and is looking forward to welcoming guests back for a meaningful holiday season." The resort has a full slate of 2025 holiday programming, including Christmas and New Year’s Eve celebrations.
- Sandals and Beaches Resorts currently has eight resorts across Jamaica open: Ocho Rios and Negril, Sandals Dunn's River, Sandals Royal Plantation, Sandals Ocho Rios, Sandals Negril and Beaches Negril, with all facilities and amenities available to guests. The three remaining Sandals resorts in Jamaica — Sandals Montego Bay, Sandals Royal Caribbean, and Sandals South Coast — have an extended timeline for improvements and are scheduled to open on May 30, 2026, according to the company.
- Island Outpost's three boutique hotels — GoldenEye, Strawberry Hill and The Caves — are fully operational, welcoming guests, and are "continuing to offer the immersive, soulful Jamaican experiences for which the brand is known," said Kessler.
- Jakes Hotel, on Treasure Beach on the southwest corner of the island, is in an area that sustained more damage, but will reopen its doors on Dec. 18. According to the property, "The hotel reopens at a moment when the [Treasure Beach] village is ready to welcome guests back, when community-supported work is thriving, and when optimism, music, and south-coast sunlight feel particularly meaningful."
Related: What to know about points hotels closures in Jamaica following Hurricane Melissa
How to help
"We live in a community as a family," said Kessler, "and whether through your visit or your generosity, your support helps Jamaica rise stronger than before."
For both volunteer opportunities and donations, the official SupportJamaica page is a great source of information.
Many properties on the island are also offering ways to support recovery through their philanthropic arms. Island Outpost is collaborating with local partners through its GoldenEye Foundation to provide direct support to families most severely affected by the storm. Travelers who wish to contribute may donate via goldeneyefoundation.org. The Sandals Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Sandals Resorts International, is also collecting donations that directly fund relief and rebuilding initiatives for the island through sandalsfoundation.org.
Bottom line
If you've been considering visiting Jamaica but were concerned about whether tourism is up and running and hotels are operational, know that much of the island is open and waiting for visitors to return. "The people want you to come," said Kessler of Island Outpost, "they want to show we're still here."
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