OCHO RIOS, St Ann — Minister of Tourism Edmund Bartlett has expressed pleasure that cruise visitors are making a strong comeback in Ocho Rios, St Ann, with eight cruise ships, carrying an estimated 32,000 passengers, scheduled to dock in the resort town next week.

Bartlett, who was touring the resort town on Thursday, disclosed that 32,000 cruise passengers visited Ocho Rios during the first week of the sector’s restart, following the October 28 hit by Hurricane Melissa.

“With eight visits next week for another 32,000 passengers Ocho Rios will welcome 64,000 cruise visitors in just two weeks. Cruise tourism is back in Ocho Rios,” declared Bartlett.

He argued that the return of cruise ships and visitor activity signals confidence in Jamaica’s tourism readiness, even as the country continues recovery efforts.

“This is why Ocho Rios is our proof of concept. When Jamaica says we are open, we mean the rooms are ready, the people are ready, and the destination is ready,” Bartlett added.

According to Bartlett, Ocho Rios remains one of Jamaica’s most critical tourism engines, often handling more than half of the nation’s cruise arrivals during peak periods.

The tourism minister noted that Melissa delivered a harsh blow to a town which is heavily dependent on visitor arrivals. He underscored that despite the walloping received by the parish, several properties quickly rebounded, providing accommodation for aid workers and volunteers who responded to the storm-impacted communities across St Ann and neighbouring parishes.

Bartlett said his visit to the world-renowned resort town was aimed at assessing the full state of readiness across the sector.

“We are here to confirm with our eyes which hotels, which attractions, and which small and medium tourism enterprises are truly ready. We want to ensure that water and power are stable, safety systems are functioning, staff are in place, and that the level of service matches what we promised the world,” said Bartlett.

The tourism minister also stressed that Jamaica’s tourism strength is in its diverse offerings and its multi-destination model, a system he attributes to the country resilience during natural disruptions.

“Jamaica is one of the few countries in the Caribbean with multiple destinations. So when Montego Bay is not as functional, Ocho Rios is functioning. When Ocho Rios is not functioning, Port Antonio is functioning, St Thomas is functioning, Kingston is functioning, the south coast is functioning, and Negril is functioning,” Bartlett noted.

He said although roughly one-third of the island was affected by the hurricane, the remaining two-thirds remain ready to welcome visitors.

“Our message to the world is clear — Jamaica is open, and you can still come and have a wonderful time,” declared Bartlett.

“Because at the heart of Jamaica’s tourism experience are our workers, and they are ready,” he added.

The tourism minister said the return of cruise passengers next week will serve as a major confidence boost for stakeholders and a welcome economic spark for the town’s vendors, tour operators, hotels and craft traders who depend heavily on visitor traffic.

Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett (second left) greets workers at RIU Ocho Rios on Thursday while mayor of St Ann’s Bay Michael Belnavis looks on. (Photo: Horace Hines)