“Stay calm”: JTB’s Angella Bennett shares Melissa update; 3,750 Canadian visitors in Jamaica

Jamaica is bracing for what could be the most destructive storm in its history as Hurricane Melissa, a powerful Category 5 storm, closes in on the island.

The system is expected to hit at full strength by midday or early Tuesday afternoon (Oct. 28), unleashing catastrophic winds, torrential rains, flooding, and storm surge.

Both residents and tourists are hunkering down, preparing for extreme conditions.

Jamaica hasn’t experienced a direct hurricane strike in more than a decade—and never from a Category 5 system.

Melissa is said to be the strongest hurricane to hit the island since record-keeping began 174 years ago.

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) is calling it the “storm of the century,” and mandatory evacuations have been issued for vulnerable coastal regions.

The storm, packing sustained winds of up to 280 kilometres per hour, will surge up to four metres and bring rainfall up to 100 cm, and likely bring catastrophic flash flooding and landslides, forecasts say.

The storm poses a severe threat to Jamaica’s infrastructure and could isolate communities across the island.

"There is no infrastructure in the region that can withstand a Category 5," Jamaica's Prime Minister Andrew Holness said at a press conference yesterday. "The question now is the speed of recovery. That's the challenge."

Melissa is expected to move diagonally across Jamaica, entering near St. Elizabeth Parish in the south and exiting around St. Ann Parish in the north, forecasters say.

Shortly thereafter, Melissa is expected to hit Cuba. There, a hurricane warning was in effect for Granma, Santiago de Cuba, Guantánamo and Holguin provinces, while a tropical storm warning was in effect for Las Tunas.

Warnings were in effect for the southeastern and central Bahamas. A tropical storm warning was also issued for the Turks and Caicos Islands.

Melissa has already claimed three lives each in Jamaica and Haiti, along with one death in the Dominican Republic, reports say

Meanwhile, Canadian airlines have activated flexible rebooking policies for customers with flights impacted by the storm. Cruise lines have also adjusted their itineraries to prioritize passenger safety.

“All hands on deck”

Jamaica's tourism industry has activated its crisis management capabilities as Melissa nears.

The island’s Tourism Emergency Operations Centre (TEOC), a disaster risk management strategy that involves all levels of Jamaica’s tourism sector, was activated Friday (Oct. 24).

“From our hoteliers and attraction operators to our transportation providers and dedicated tourism workers, we have established protocols that prioritize safety while maintaining service excellence,” said Jamaica’s Minister of Tourism Edmund Bartlett in a statement. 

The TEOC is a 24-hour “central coordinating hub” for all tourism activities related to hurricane response, ensuring a seamless flow of information to partners, including the trade.  

“Jamaica’s tourism sector is built on strong partnerships and resilience, and those values are guiding our response currently,” stated Bartlett.

As Jamaica braces for Melissa, it’s “all hands-on deck to ensure the safety of our visitors and locals alike,” he added.

As part of the response, hotels across Jamaica are offering distress rates to assist visitors who may need to extend their stay, the Ministry said.

Visitors who are currently on island are being advised to remain in close contact with their hotels, tour representatives and airlines for the latest updates.

25,000 visitors currently in Jamaica   

Speaking with PAX over the phone early Tuesday morning, Angella Bennett, regional director for Canada at the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB), said Hurricane Melissa is on track to make landfall in Jamaica at around Noon today.

“The storm is moving slowly – at five miles per hour – and it will sit over Jamaica for most of the day,” she said. “This is going to bring destructive winds and heavy rainfall, which the island is already experiencing. We’re expecting floods and damages to structures. The island is as prepared as possible.”

The JTB is working with the government and stakeholders to ensure guests who are currently on the island are safe, Bennett said, calling this a “top priority.”

Roughly 25,000 tourists are currently in Jamaica, and about 15 per cent—some 3,750 visitors—are from Canada, she said.

Many guests remain sheltered in hotels and resorts operating under hurricane protocols, while others have been relocated to emergency shelters, Bennett said.

This includes the Montego Bay Convention Centre and the James Hunter Conference Centre in Negril.

In Montego Bay, guests were moved to the convention centre shelter to keep them closer to the airport for immediate evacuation once the storm passes, Bennett said.

Jamaica has more than 800 hurricane shelters, which are currently serving both Jamaicans and tourists, she added.

Jamaica’s Norman Manley International Airport (NMIA) closed on October 25 while Sangster International Airport (SIA) in Montego Bay closed on October 26.

Jamaica’s Ian Flemming Airport, Tinson Pen Aerodrome and Ken Jones Aerodrome are also closed.

Sangster International is so far scheduled to reopen on Wednesday (Oct. 29) at 12:00 p.m.  – if authorities consider it safe to open.

On Sunday (Oct. 26), the Government of Canada revised its travel advisory for Jamaica, warning Canadians to “avoid all travel” to the island.

The Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) has also posted this storm FAQ on its website for travellers currently in Jamaica or those scheduled to depart soon.

“Stay calm”

Bennett’s advice to Canadian travel advisors with clients still in destination?

“Stay calm,” she said. “The Jamaica Tourist Board is available to clients with 24-hour support.”

As PAX reported yesterday, the storm underscores the high stakes and pressure travel advisors face during extreme weather events, as well as the challenges in coordinating last-minute evacuations and flight changes.

One advisor we spoke to was “in tears” after she wasn’t able to secure a last-minute flight home for her clients, visiting Jamaica from Calgary, before the airports closed.

“I can't function until I know they're home safe and sound,” she told us.

Bennett said she has been in constant communication with travel advisors with clients currently in Jamaica, connecting them with destination reps, airlines and tour operators.  

Air Canada and Air Transat sent rescue flights to Jamaica to pick up customers on Saturday, while WestJet added an additional flight on Sunday, Bennett confirmed.

“The reality is, even with the repatriation flights, there were just not enough seats to take back all visitors,” Bennett said.

Offering some assurance, she said Jamaica is an island that is “no stranger to hurricanes.”

Her advice for guests who are currently on the island is to follow the protocols of the hotels, and the directions of management.

“Hotels are fully equipped to manage hurricane protocols. If clients weren’t able to get off the island, they’re in safe space,” Bennett said.

Prepared mode, activated

Bennett, who lives in Canada but calls Jamaica home, was on the island over the weekend, posting helpful, on-the-ground updates to her social media about Melissa’s arrival.

She initially was going to stay in Jamaica and ride the hurricane out, but decided on Sunday to return to Toronto where “I’m most effective,” she said.

That includes having reliable access to electricity to ensure her updates are reaching the JTB team and Jamaica’s travel partners in Canada.  

“I always put my country first,” she said. “But I have to dig deep and get into prepared mode – not into panic mode.”

Still, her roots are in Jamaica. Many of Bennett’s family and friends are currently on the island, including her brother and 84-year-old father.  

“I spoke to them at midnight last night and thankfully they’re safe,” she said, noting that as of Tuesday morning, she has lost connectivity to the island. “We have seen so many of these storms – such as Hurricane Beryl last year – and have been able to ride them out together.”

“I remain thankful and grateful that I am able to lend my support in any way,” she said. “I pray for the safety of my island.”

Tourism partners and visitors who require assistance can contact the TEOC using the following channels:

Emergency lines: (876) 382-6712, (658) 213-2802, (658) 213-2803, (658) 213-2804

WhatsApp line: (876) 469-0265

Email: teoc@mot.gov.jm

This is a developing story.

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