NEW YORK -- Jamaica is projecting that visitor arrivals will rebound to approximately 80% of pre-hurricane levels by the end of 2026.
It has been nearly two months since Hurricane Melissa made landfall in Jamaica in late October, and an initial fast recovery has enabled the island nation to salvage the holiday travel season, but a long road lies ahead.
Jamaica minister of tourism Edmund Bartlett and Jamaica Tourist Board director of tourism Donovan White shared the latest recovery timeline during a media event here on Dec. 18. Bartlett said that Jamaica had approximately 3 million stopover visitor arrivals in 2024 and, prior to Hurricane Melissa, had been on track for a 2% increase in 2025.
Instead, the destination now expects to finish 2025 roughly 20% below 2024.
"That's substantial for a country our size," said Bartlett, who estimates that around 30% of Jamaica's tourism assets were impacted by the Category 5 hurricane.
According to White, approximately 70% of Jamaica's room inventory is back online, with around 80% of inventory expected to be operational by February. Room inventory is projected to reach close to 100% recovery by the end of 2026.
Some resorts are using the recovery period to make significant upgrades, with Donovan citing the Bahia Principe Grand Jamaica as well as heavily impacted Sandals resorts.
According to Bartlett, some of these properties will essentially relaunch as "new product" when they reopen.
Bartlett also touted continued investor confidence in Jamaica, highlighting five "mega" developments that are proceeding with construction: a Unico Hotel Collection and Hard Rock Hotel resort complex, The Pinnacle luxury residences, the Harmony Cove luxury resort and residential complex, an expansion of the Grand Palladium Jamaica and a 350-room Bahia Principe hotel.
"Not one of those five has pulled back or indicated any hesitancy for moving forward," said Bartlett.
Beyond these investments, Bartlett outlined broader plans to enhance the destination, describing the hurricane-recovery process as an opportunity "to rebuild, reimagine and reposition" Jamaica. That process includes plans for broader infrastructure updates like new highway connectivity, improved telecommunications and energy systems, and a redesigned cruise port experience in Falmouth that he said will "redefine cruise tourism" and feature "attractions that are going to be at another level."