JAMAICA with its luxurious north coast resorts like Round Hill has always been the preferred destination of the very rich and mature holiday-maker. Such visitors are not concerned about fashion and are undeterred by scary stories in their local media about crime in Jamaica. They know that the country offers a combination of luxury, unsurpassed scenery and a unique Jamaican “vibe” which cannot be found elsewhere.

But it appears that the young and glamorous from the world of pop music have “rediscovered” Jamaica.

Thirty-eight-year-old Damon Dash is a black American hip-hop mogul. He co-founded Roc-a-Fella records with hip-hop superstar Jay-Z. Dash, having made his millions in hip-hop music, has moved into fashion and films. Now he is reportedly looking to buy in Flint River near Montego Bay.

Twenty-seven-year-old Lily Allen is a huge singing star in Britain and never out of the gossip columns. She comes from a show business family, but broke onto the music scene by putting her songs online via the social networking site MySpace. In 2006 she topped the UK charts. Unlike a lot of young pop stars she is political and highly articulate. A few years ago I was very impressed with her when she appeared on a political talk show that I co-host on BBC television. It was recently reported that she will be setting up home in Jamaica. She is planning to build a house on a beachside plot she bought in 2008 and is apparently planning to spend several months of the year there.

One of the biggest (and most erratic) young British pop stars to emerge in recent years is Amy Winehouse and she is apparently set to record her next album in Jamaica. Winehouse is another young female singer who is never out of the headlines here in Britain. This is partly because of her unique vocal style. Being one of those unusual white singers who sound ‘black’, Winehouse’s vocals is a distinctive mix of R&B, jazz, soul and just a little touch of ska. In 2007 her album Back to Black was the best-selling British album of the year. She went on to win three Grammys in 2008 for: “Record of the Year “, “Song of the Year” and “Best Female Pop Vocal”. Sadly, she also has a history of drug and alcohol abuse which British tabloids have covered in fascinating detail.

Last year she went for a prolonged holiday in St Lucia. This was an apparent attempt to detoxify her body and resolve personal conflicts. How long the effects of her time away will last remains to be seen. But what is obvious is that the Caribbean has had a lasting effect on her. She was quoted at the time as saying, “Since I first came to the island, I have been greeted with nothing but kindness and friendship, as well as incredible music and the most beautiful of settings. I have made friends for life and have been inspired by my surroundings.” Now she is heading for Jamaica.

Tourism in Jamaica has done very well despite the international economic downturn. Becoming a mecca for the young and the hip would be the icing on the cake.