The government of Jamaica has set a target of mid-December for a full resumption of tourism following an assessment of damage caused by Hurricane Melissa.
Minister of tourism Edmund Bartlett has set a date of December 15 to have cruise ports, resorts, attractions and other tourism infrastructure up and running.
Hurricane Melissa Recovery Task Force announced
To achieve this, the ministry announced the formation of two industry bodies to coordinate the recovery process in the coming weeks.
The Hurricane Melissa Recovery Task Force and the Tourism Resilience Coordination Committee, made up of Public and private industry stakeholders, will assess what recovery initiatives are needed.
“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.
“Progress will be tracked through the Ministry of Tourism with regular public updates, so workers, visitors, and partners can plan with confidence.”
The Recovery Task Force will prioritize operational assessments, repairs and market readiness for cruise ports and infrastructure, as well as resorts and airports.
Cruise lines commit funds for recovery efforts
Meanwhile, cruise lines have pledged money to fund interim relief efforts. Carnival Corp and Disney Cruise Line parent The Walt Disney Company are both committing $1 million, while Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd will fund up to $100,000 in aid via the American Red Cross.
Sixty-nine cruise ships are scheduled to call at Jamaican ports through December 15. Many of them are being rerouted to other Caribbean destinations.
Cruise lines call to Ocho Rios, Falmouth, and Montego Bay on a regular basis.
