The Government of Jamaica has plans to further diversify the island’s tourism product by creating a “high-end tourism” corridor called the Revere Zone, in Jamaica’s north-eastern parishes.

The corridor, which will stretch from Oracabessa in St Mary to areas surrounding Port Antonio in Portland, will feature low-density tourist developments as part of a “village-type tourism model” but with sophisticated facilities.

According to Minister of Tourism Edmund Bartlett, the Jamaica Revere Zone will incorporate Ocho Rios, St Ann’s Bay, Runaway Bay, and Discovery, bringing “a new awakening” tourism in Jamaica, which is more popular as an all-inclusive destination.

“As we work to diversify our tourism sector, we could not be more pleased to create an area that offers a different type of experience for a high-end traveller. This will be supported by air service that flies directly into Ocho Rios, providing easier and more direct access to this beautiful area of our island,” he stated.

The Government is anticipating an influx of stopover visitors in the region with the introduction of international flights to the Ian Fleming International Airport in Boscobel, St Mary. To this end, the Revere Zone will also operationalise the Government’s strategy of encouraging more tourist to venture beyond primary tourist locales such as Montego Bay and Negril, thus redirecting tourism dollars and investment into the eastern end of Jamaica, to support small to medium-sized businesses within the region.

Moreover, the construction of a highway on Jamaica’s north-east coast will keep transportation along the Revere Zone within the one-hour range.

The Caribbean Sea facing town of Oracabessa is well known for being the one-time respite of Sir Ian Fleming, the famed writer of the 007 spy series featuring James Bond. His Goldeneye residence was once a popular haunt for Hollywood celebrities in the 1950s and 60s.

Now owned by British-born producer Chris Blackwell, the Goldeneye Resort is a luxury accommodation that fetched just over US$6,000 per night on Airbnb Luxe before the pandemic

In the adjoining parish of Portland tourists can enjoy activities such as rafting on the Rio Grande, visiting Frenchman’s Cove, scuba diving in the Blue Lagoon, and savouring Jamaican jerk meats at Boston Beach.