MONTEGO BAY, St James — There is overwhelming support for the scheduled June 15 phased reopening of the hotel industry by stakeholders operating in St James and St Ann.
However, hoteliers in the two parishes are strongly advocating the need for strict adherence to health protocols put in place by the Government to prevent any resurgence of COVID-19.
President of the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA) Omar Robinson confirmed that the feedback from members is firmly in favour of reopening the sector.
“Most JHTA members are excited to get the industry reopened. “Having not been in business since March, members have seen a complete halt in revenues, cash flow has dried up, and all are ailing. “Therefore, operators of hotels, attractions, and ground transportation companies are all eager to get their businesses reopened to start earning and put their employees back to work to take care of their families,” Robinson said.
General manager of Deja Resorts in Montego Bay, Robin Russell, was ecstatic over the opportunity to return to business although not under ideal conditions.
“It is not perfect, but at least it gives us the opportunity to go back to the market. We have been working on getting our health protocols in place to keep our staff safe, and I know if we practice these principles, we will be safe. The staff, everybody who works at the hotel, will be safe. We will be safe and the guests as well,” Russell said.
“We have to be more careful with everyone that comes through the door; we are going to make sure that what we are doing is correct. No one will be lackadaisical,” Russell offered.
Kyle Mais, general manager of Jamaica Inn, Ocho Rios, St Ann, was upbeat about the June 15 reopening of the sector.
“It’s a day we have all been hoping for, and we have to be thankful that we see a little light at the end of the tunnel. It’s a positive thing that we can start to hopefully return to some normalcy in our lives in both work, and of course, we have to continue to practice safety and all the protocols as we learn to live with this COVID-19 virus,” Mais said.
Ian Dear, chairman, and chief executive officer of the Margaritaville Caribbean Group, which employs over 1,400 workers, was elated over the planned reopening of the sector, citing the need to resurrect the economy.
“The reality is that our economy is under a lot of pressure, we have to respond by reopening, following all the protocols required to mitigate any health issues. But the reality is that we can’t make the solution… the bigger problem than the actual disease.
“As it stands right now, if we continue down our current path, our economy will fall apart, and we will have bigger issues that will affect our people,” Dear argued.
“We need to get back to work. The tourism industry needs to be reopened. We have 1,400 employees who are not working right now, and that’s our one little group,” he added.
Vana Taylor, head of the Jamaica Association of Villas and Apartments, was head over heels for phased reopening.
“It is wonderful that we are having a phased reopening of the sector. We understand the health situation, but we have to reopen, and all of us have to work together to manage any risk involved and to ensure that it is minimal. We have to open because we have had no income for the last three months and we lost a lot of money and refund as well. Our cash has been depleted, especially for the smaller sector,” Taylor said.
Iberostar, Montego Bay’s director of operations, Philipp Hofer, also welcomed the announced reopening.
“Yes, we welcome it,” Hofer responded.
An executive from the RIU chain was also glad for the reopening of their Ocho Rios property.
“We are very excited about the reopening of the Riu Ocho Rios. We have been working for several weeks to create 17 protocols to guide our hotels when they reopen. For the reopening, we have been training our staff, and we will be ready to receive our guests again, who will enjoy a satisfactory experience and, at the same time, a safe experience,” the RIU executive said.
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