UK-BASED hospitality company Bocobay has expanded its property management services in Jamaica, targeting growth in the island’s short-term rental market as more investors seek professional management for their vacation homes.

The company, which operates more than 400 properties across Jamaica, Aruba, Curaçao and the Dominican Republic, is strengthening its local presence through resort-style management services that combine the privacy of a residential property with the service standards of a hotel.

Bocobay founder and CEO Nick Curtis told the Jamaica Observer in a recent interview that the company, which he established with his brother James about six years ago, was created with a vision to manage holiday residences similarly to how hotels operate.

“What sets us apart is our team. Every development we take on gets its own full-time, dedicated staff including a resort manager, hosts, housekeeping, maintenance and concierge — all based on site and focused on that one property. They know the building, they know the owners, and they know the guests by name,” he said.

From left: Kalisia Findley, attorney at law; Leacroft Forden, managing director for KefordCo Limited; Nick Curtis, co-founder and CEO of Bocobay Limited; and Florian Seifert, general manager, Bocobay Jamaica, share a photo op following a recent site visit at The Azure in St Ann.

The on-site teams are further supported by centralised services spanning marketing, pricing and reservations through platforms such as Airbnb, Booking.com and Vrbo, as well as Bocobay’s own booking channels.

Curtis, in noting that Bocobay’s property management model was designed to help owners maximise occupancy and rental income, said it also removes the burden of managing day-to-day operations. Additionally, the business model allows the company to deliver more consistent service to guests. The company’s expansion in the local market comes as residential developments along the country’s north coast increasingly target buyers seeking both holiday accommodation and rental returns.

He said Jamaica’s strong tourism brand, airlift from North America and the United Kingdom, coupled with its growing pipeline of luxury developments along the north coast have also created opportunities for professional property management operators.

“Many owners self-manage or rely on informal arrangements, and guests notice the difference. That is the gap we want to fill: hotel-quality operations in private residences, run by a Jamaican team,” Curtis said.

Bocobay’s first major Jamaican project is Palm Beach in Runaway Bay, St Ann, which is a 21-acre development comprising 22 luxury villas and six condos. Its recent partnership with The Azure development in Discovery Bay, however, extends the company’s management model to another section of the parish.

The Azure, developed by KeFordCo Development Ltd in partnership with Linear Development and Construction Ltd, comprises 43 one- and two-bedroom residences. Construction of the real estate venture is about 70 per cent complete, with completion targeted for the first quarter of 2027.

The development will operate as a boutique resort, with a full-time Bocobay team based on site.

“For owners, that means a residence that earns while they are away and is cared for properly every single day. For guests, it means arriving to a proper welcome and not just a key box,” he told the Sunday Finance.

Managing director of KeFordCo Development, Leacroft Forden said the decision to engage Bocobay to represent its Azure development was largely driven by recurring challenges experienced by property owners and visitors in Jamaica’s short-term rental market.

He said complaints about inconsistent cleanliness, security and overall comfort highlighted the need to have more dependable, professional management to improve guest experiences and reduce the risk of buyer’s remorse among property investors.

“Bocobay understands the luxury real estate market, the expectations of the clients, and the priorities of investors who want consistent returns without the burden of day-to-day property management, while also benefiting from long-term property appreciation,” Forden said.

“Partnering with Bocobay brings together our development vision and local market insight with proven luxury hospitality and property management expertise,” he added.”

Bocobay, through its growing list of property management solutions, currently targets Jamaicans at home and in the Diaspora, international property investors, and also travellers seeking alternatives to traditional hotels. Its guests typically range from families, groups and couples to remote workers and longer-stay visitors, with additional demand from Jamaicans seeking north coast getaways and travellers from across the Caribbean. To date, company has recorded over US$50 million in gross bookings annually.

Over time, Curtis will pursue additional developments along the north coast alongside plans to expand its service to more parishes.

“Regionally, we will also keep growing across our four existing markets and are actively looking at further Caribbean islands. Our approach, however, is to partner with developers early so that the resort operation can be designed into the project from the start rather than bolted on at the end,” he said.