Businesses reporting major losses since White River Rafting closure
The usually bustling section of White River where informal operators offered rafting trips along the stream of water to tourists has become somewhat of a ghost town since the Tourism Product Development Company (TPDCo) made moves to end illegal rafting in the area over a month ago.
When an OBSERVER ONLINE news team visited the now-closed attraction aptly called ‘White River Rafting’ in Exchange in Ocho Rios, St Ann on Thursday, surrounding bars and restaurants were open for business and fishermen could be seen either mending fishing nets or coming in with their catch, but there were no customers in sight. After approximately 80 rafts were reportedly destroyed by TPDCo in March, business owners are chomping at the bit to get their operations back up and running.
Many in the area blame the government’s intervention on an influx of raft operators after the heights of the COVID-19 pandemic who they say started rafting operations without complying with rules. They believe the tipping point came when a fight broke out between two raft captains while tourists were on board one of the rafts, and the video of the incident went viral.
Curtis Douglas, project manager of White River Rafting, said he is waiting to have a meeting with TPDCo to determine whether operations will soon restart in the once bustling tourist attraction.
“They are the ones that call the shots and we just have to go with it. They gave us 25 days when they said we should be open, but 25 days is now gone so we are going to have a meeting this weekend with them. Probably we will get the go ahead at that time and the date and time we should be opening. But I think we will be opening in short order,” Douglas said.
Douglas implied that the reason for the closure is due to operations in the area “getting out of hand”, noting that the government agency had to step in and take drastic measures. As a result, only 22 rafters have been authorised to have operations in the area, the project manager said.
“They asked us to work with 22 so we are trying to select as best as possible the good guys; the ones that won’t make any trouble, the ones that won’t fight in front of the tourists and all of that good stuff,” he said.
Business operators, including restaurateurs, bar owners, fishermen and of course raft captains, were lamenting the loss of income they have had to endure since rafting activities were closed to that section of the White River in March.
One restaurant owner who only identified himself as ‘John Brown’ said the loss of rafting has left a big dent for businesses. He owns the Fish Pot Restaurant, and said he has been operating in the area for the past 10 years, and “this is the worst it has ever been”
“Things bad for the whole entire area; it leave a big, big, big dent,” Brown said.
“Like right now (around 11:35am) tables would be full, things would be blooming and today me doubt if we sell $10,000. We normally do breakfast, lunch and people who come down and we would usually have lobster and shrimp to serve them after them finish rafting. But after everything it leave a bad impact,” he added.
He revealed that he is considering adjusting opening hours and possibly relocating to a beach to see how best he can capitalise on the crowd that usually gathers there on a weekend; all in order to keep making a living.
One rafter, Andre, revealed that on a good day rafters can make upwards of US$200 but on holidays and when cruise ships are docked and tourists visit the area, a raft captain can take home US$350 to US$500 per day, he said.
Another rafter who goes by the name ‘Addi’ says he is now dependent on his small souvenir stall to earn an income, and sales there have dried up due to the closure of White River Rafting.
“It very hard, it’s like we have to scratch like fowl right now. Me operate a souvenir store right on the front and it a keep me for now. Me get maybe one sale a day or one sale every four days but me used to get sales every day when the rafting was going on,” Addi disclosed.
He added that one of the issues they are facing is the lack of reliable information. Addi said that since rafts were demolished over a month ago, decision makers have not been back to the area to speak to them. He said however, that TPDCo has called meetings but that has its own set of problems.
“Everyone around here is looking forward to White River Rafting getting the go ahead to restart operations but all now we don’t see anybody come around here to represent us nor represent rafting, just some word of mouth and things we see in the papers and the news that we have to follow,” he said.
Rafters are also concerned that should operations get the green light, they do not know where the money will come from to build another raft. They disclosed that to build the kind of rafts that White River Rafting is known for, it can run a raft captain up to $100,000 to source material and pay for the service.
Now if tourists and other locals want to enjoy rafting on White River, they will have to visit Calypso Rafting which is about two miles from White River Rafting.
With TPDCo’s closure notices posted about the area, rafters, bar and restaurant owners are waiting with bated breaths for the popular tourist attraction to come alive once again.