Mayor Vernon Reports Progress in Tourism Recovery After Hurricane Melissa

More than 50 per cent of hotels in Montego Bay are now back in operation after the city’s tourism sector was severely disrupted by Hurricane Melissa, according to Mayor Richard Vernon.

The update was delivered on Thursday during a meeting of the St James Municipal Corporation, where the mayor outlined the pace of recovery following the passage of the Category Five hurricane, which caused widespread damage to tourism-related properties and temporarily halted many activities across the parish.

Despite the extensive impact, Mayor Vernon reported that the sector rebounded swiftly after reopening on December 15, welcoming more than 300,000 visitors since operations resumed. He noted that recovery efforts are continuing, with plans in place to accelerate the approval process for rebuilding and repairs to facilitate the reopening of additional tourism facilities.

The mayor also highlighted strong economic activity generated by the city’s extended grand market. He said the initiative resulted in more than J$300 million circulating within Montego Bay’s vending districts.

Initially scheduled to run for 16 days, the annual grand market was extended as part of efforts to stimulate revenue growth for vendors. The market opened on December 15 and is set to close on Sunday, January 11, marking the conclusion of the extended period.

Mayor Vernon said the combined recovery of the tourism sector and the success of the grand market signal positive momentum for Montego Bay’s post-hurricane economic rebound.