Travel advisors step up for Jamaica at Jam-Walk; JTB "very optimistic" about winter

You can talk the talk. But can you walk the walk?

Canadian travel advisors can do both, as demonstrated by the dozen or so advisors who gathered with the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) at Toronto’s waterfront at Palais Royale on Saturday (May 30) to take part in the Helping Hands Jamaica Foundation’s (HHJF) annual “Jam-Walk,” an annual fundraising event that supports the construction of schools in Jamaica.

Blessed with picture-perfect weather, the five-kilometre stroll headed down the Martin Goodman Trail, along Lake Shore Blvd., to the Humber Bay Arch Bridge and back, and concluded with a brunch.

The sun-kissed event, held during HHJF’s 20th anniversary year, carried a renewed sense of purpose as the organization intensifies its efforts in Jamaica following the devastation caused by Hurricane Melissa, a powerful Category 5 storm that tore through the island last October.

Natasha Borota, president and CEO of The It Factor Ltd., which oversees HHJF’s school builds, said the organization had been preparing to begin construction on a school in Jamaica’s Saint Elizabeth parish in January.

However, those plans were put on hold as first responders remained focused on delivering critical relief to communities affected by the hurricane, including access to food, clean water and shelter.

Speaking with PAX at the Jam-Walk, Borota said the HHJF and a team of volunteers, this July, will now focus on repairing an infant and primary school in Saint Elizabeth, Fyffes Pen, that was “decimated by Melissa.”

“We actually built a 10-classroom add-on there in 2019 that stood the test of the hurricane,” Borota said. “But the full school – the washrooms, the teachers’ unit, the kitchen where they would cook the meals for the students – is flattened. So, we’re rebuilding that with a stronger cement structure.”

Of the 27 schools the HHJF has constructed in Jamaica over the years, roughly nine of them were affected by Hurricane Melissa, Borota shared.

And the impact extended well beyond areas most closely associated with the hurricane.  

“Even in Portland, on the opposite side of the island, communities experienced gale-force winds, rainfall and mudslides,” she said. “There was a lot of water damage. We have quite a few schools that need serious help.”

The foundation has already reconstructed one school in Dumfries that lost a roof and some fencing, said Borota.

The team is currently putting the finishing touches on two school projects, with repairs on an additional two schools set to begin immediately afterward.

“By the fall, our major schools that were affected will be fully functional,” said Borota.

But it’s not just schools require attention. Other educational necessities, like electricity, are still in a fragile state.

“I have students that have to go into town to get Wi-Fi,” said Borota. “The hurricane devastated the country and it will probably three or four years until that infrastructure is rebuilt.”

The 115 people who participated in Saturday’s Jam-Walk all raised money to support the cause. This year’s goal, said Borota, is to raise $75,000.

Fundraising will be open until this Friday (June 5) and donations can be made on the HHJF’s website here. 

The HHJF’s signature fundraising event, the glam Jamrock Gala, will take place on October 8 at the Palais Royale Ballroom. (Click here for details).

"This year feels different"

The HHJF’s community work in Jamaica is a classic example of how tourism can be a force for good.

Over the years, the foundation has raised money and awareness of its school builds by hosting voluntourism trips and even cruises that include give-back days in Jamaica.

The Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB), an annual sponsor of Jam-Walk, is credited for getting travel advisors involved in the HHJF’s school builds every year.

Speaking with PAX at Saturday’s walk, Angella Bennett, regional director for Canada at the JTB, said “this year feels different."

“It reaches a different level of gratitude, being aligned with the Helping Hands Jamaica Foundation, because they understand what the communities in Jamaica need,” Bennett said.

“We experienced a Category 5 hurricane that took out many of the schools they've built. They’re now going back, to the beginning, to rebuild those schools.”

A great destination is “built on great community and work” Bennett went on to say.

“The community has come together to embrace all the support they're getting to rebuild and start again,” she said.

“Having the youth rise from the school builds means Jamaica will rise. The energy and passion we bring every year to the school builds is magnified.”

Bigger than sales

Saint Elizabeth, where the HHJF and its volunteers (including travel advisors) are heading this summer, was an area “that got impacted the most” by the hurricane, said Bennett.

“The fact our beloved travel agents raised their hands and said, ‘Angella, we want to come,’ speaks volumes,” Bennett said. “It’s bigger than selling a destination. It’s about building a community of trust, support, and helping Jamaica stand again.”

READ MORE: “A powerful affirmation”: Jamaica applauds Porter’s new Montego Bay service

“For me, I couldn’t be prouder and more connected to the industry and what it truly means.”

The travel advisors who consistently support Jamaica is a community “built on trust,” Bennett said.

“It's also built on us being there for the travel community,” she said. “Every year, we don't take any of our wins for granted. It’s an investment in a community that keeps giving back.”

“I feel like the heart of Jamaica is exposed when [advisors] connect with us and when we connect with them. It's more than just business. It's a family.”

Winter is coming

The discussion comes as Jamaica gears up for what Bennett thinks will be the island’s “best winter out of Canada” – ever – as post-hurricane consumer confidence returns and as airlines ramp up capacity.

“I'm very optimistic,” said Bennett, noting “an alignment” from all of Canada’s carriers, as well as Caribbean Airlines.

Among the enhancements, WestJet/Sunwing has increased capacity to Jamaica over last year, Air Canada is offering more seats out of Toronto, and Flair Airlines, which launched a new Toronto-Montego Bay route last December, will return.

There’s also momentum building around Porter Airlines, which will debut in Montego Bay this winter with flights from Toronto (YYZ), Ottawa (YOW) and Hamilton (YHM).

READ MORE: Sandals announces $200M reimagination of three Jamaican resorts

“Right now, we're reaching an 11.9 to 12 per cent increase in capacity,” Bennett said. “We’re also working closely with our hotel partners, who are counting on having the rest of their inventory open.”

As previously reported, Hyatt’s Inclusive Collection has yet to reopen its seven all-inclusive resorts in Jamaica.

Its properties in Montego Bay and Rose Hall are expected to reopen in the first quarter of 2027 as repairs and renovations continue.

Royalton should be back online this summer or late fall, said Bennett, while Sandals is spending US$200 million to reimagine three resorts – Sandals Montego Bay, Sandals Royal Caribbean, and Sandals South Coast – that were impacted by the hurricane.

Sandals South Coast is set to reopen later this year on Nov. 18, followed by both Sandals Royal Caribbean and Sandals Montego Bay on Dec. 18.

New inventory is coming up as well, such as AIC’s UNICO 18°°77° Montego Bay, an adults-only, all-inclusive resort that is slated to open in Q1 of 2027, said Bennett.

“Their second project will be a Hard Rock Hotel,” she said. “We’ve seen a sneak peek of what it will look like and it's amazing.”

Jamaica is currently in summer festival mode with reggae events and sports.

The Caribbean Premier League (CPL) cricket tournament is notably returning to Jamaica, to Kingston, this August, and it will welcome many countries to the island.

But winter is coming, and Jamaica is ready, Bennett stressed.

“The destination is back up and running,” she said.

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