One thousand ALG advisors volunteer in Jamaica in Montego Bay: Minister Bartlett on tourism recovery after Hurricane Melissa

One Thousand ALG Travel Advisors Signed Up to Volunteer in Jamaica

Jamaica's tourism industry received a strong boost from a network of travel intermediaries in North America: 1,000 travel advisors associated with Apple Leisure Group/ALG Vacations signed up to participate in volunteer initiatives in Jamaica. Jamaica's Minister of Tourism Edmund Bartlett welcomed the interest as confirmation of a long-standing partnership with one of the most influential players in organized travel, but also as a concrete contribution to communities still recovering from the consequences of Hurricane Melissa.

The number of one thousand applications, however, does not mean that so many people arrived on the island at the same time. This is a massive interest of advisors to participate in the program, while activities on the ground take place in smaller groups, at times that can be organized without burdening local capacities. Precisely this difference – between the high response and targeted planned arrivals – was an important message of the gathering in Montego Bay: Jamaica wants interest to turn into more rounds of help and promotion, along with clear projects on the ground.

Voluntourism as Part of Recovery After Hurricane Melissa

The reason for the intensified engagement was the "Advisors in Action: Come Back to Give Back" program, which, according to available information, took place from January 31 to February 4, 2026, in Montego Bay, with RIU Hotels & Resorts as the accommodation host for participants. The concept differs from classic "FAM" trips (familiarization visits for agents) in that it combines professional destination orientation with volunteer activities and humanitarian logistics on the ground.

In practice, the program has two levels. The first is tourism-oriented: advisors visit hotel facilities and key zones of the destination to provide clients with verified information on the state of infrastructure and quality of service. The second is social: part of the schedule is dedicated to working in communities, visiting institutions, and delivering supplies where recovery after the storm is slower and less visible from tourism zones. Organizers and Jamaican partners emphasized that renovated hotels and the return of guests cannot be viewed separately from the reality in the communities where a large part of the tourism sector's workforce comes from.

First Wave: 100 to 125 Participants and Eight Institutions in Western Jamaica

Although the interest was many times higher, the first wave of travel was organized in a limited capacity. Jamaican media and event reports mention groups of about 100 to about 125 participants, composed of travel advisors and team members, who came to the island on a multi-day mission with a dual goal: to provide support to local communities and simultaneously strengthen market confidence in Jamaica as a "ready" destination.

According to participants and organizers, the plan included work and visits to several local organizations and institutions, with an emphasis on the western part of the island. Eight institutions were mentioned that received donations or logistical support, including schools affected by the storm. Volunteer activities included painting and minor repairs, cleaning, organizing donations, visiting elderly homes, and visiting an animal shelter. The focus was on practical help that can be seen immediately, but also the message that recovery is measured beyond hotel zones as well.

What "1,000 Applications" Means and Why It Is a Key Trust Factor

At the meeting in Montego Bay, it was highlighted that more than a thousand agents responded to the call and that it was necessary to filter the number and select participants for the first wave. The Jamaican authorities treat such a response as a resource that can be planned long-term. Bartlett, addressing the crowd, said that Jamaica is ready to cooperate with a much larger number of interested parties, with strategic scheduling of arrivals. The idea, according to him, is to organize arrivals in series and link them to priority projects in communities, so that volunteering has a measurable effect and simultaneously supports the return of tourism demand.

In the same tone, the minister called the advisors the "soul of the industry," emphasizing that personal contact with travelers remains crucial for confidence in a destination – especially after a natural disaster, when travelers seek verified information on infrastructure, safety, and service quality. In this logic, advisors are more than a sales channel: they are a communication bridge between the destination and the market, as they can convey first-hand experience and answer specific client questions.

Hard Data on Recovery: Reopening on December 15 and Projections Until November

Public messages from the event and official announcements highlighted concrete recovery indicators. According to Bartlett's statements, Jamaica reopened for tourism on December 15, 2025, and by that date, about 70 percent of rooms were already available. The projections he presented speak of an increase in availability to about 75 percent by March 1, 2026, about 85 percent by May, and approximately 95–96 percent by November 2026.

Such numbers carry double weight. On one hand, they show the speed of recovery of core infrastructure, which is crucial for bookings and operational stability. On the other, they directly affect air traffic: stable accommodation capacity is a prerequisite for the return of routes and filling planes, and Jamaican officials emphasized in statements that partner airlines did not "abandon" the destination and that the return of capacity is gradually followed on the transport side as well.

What Hoteliers Say: Seven RIU Properties and More than 4,000 Rooms Operational

Along with government messages, the hotel sector also sought to further support the image of stabilization. A Jamaican press report states that RIU operates seven properties and more than 4,000 rooms in Jamaica and that, according to them, all properties have been operational since mid-December. It was also highlighted that occupancy levels remained solid despite the challenges, which is interpreted as a signal that demand did not disappear but temporarily slowed down and is returning in parallel with reconstruction.

For advisors and travelers, such information serves as verification. After major natural disasters, travelers are often interested not only in "whether it is open," but also in whether key services are functioning: airports, transfers, supply chains, health services, excursions, and attractions. That is exactly why the organizers combined visits to several hotels and tourism spots with community work in the program, so that the picture would be more complete and so that advisors could convey nuanced rather than simple messages.

Travel Advisors as a Multiplier: 175 Touchpoints and 23,000 Room Nights

At the center of the event was the thesis that tourism in Jamaica is not just a statistic of overnight stays, but a mechanism that activates a wide range of activities. Bartlett pointed out that every tourist "triggers" more than 175 different skills and touchpoints – from airport services and transport, through hotel operations, to excursions, attractions, and suppliers. In such a model, the return of one part of demand means the return of income in a large number of sectors related to tourism, which is particularly important in post-disaster recovery.

In this framework, a concrete result of sales efforts was also presented: according to reports on the recovery, advisors secured more than 23,000 room nights worth about 8 million US dollars. These are figures that exceed the marketing effect of a single campaign, as they represent a directly measurable inflow of spending and a strong signal to hoteliers and carriers that the market is returning. For the local community, this means more working hours, a higher volume of services, and a faster return of "normal" business flows, from transporters and caterers to smaller suppliers.

Volunteering on the Ground: Schools, Donations, and the Part of Recovery Tourists Often Don't See

Part of the program was intentionally directed outside tourism zones, where recovery is slower and less visible to guests. One of the locations highlighted in reports was Catherine Hall Primary School in Montego Bay, which, according to descriptions from the field, has more than a thousand students and was heavily damaged after the storm. Volunteers described painting external surfaces and fences, cleaning, organizing donations, and helping to arrange the space, emphasizing that this restores a sense of routine and safety for children and teachers.

The reports also highlight the emotional dimension of recovery. School representatives spoke about the impact of the storm on children who lost their homes and basic necessities, so returning to a fixed school space was an important part of stabilizing everyday life. Donations that advisors bring from their own communities often consist of items that are most needed in crisis periods and "disappear" fastest: school supplies, hygiene products, batteries, cleaning agents, and basic consumables.

Broader humanitarian logistics were described through visits and donations aimed at eight institutions in western Jamaica, with participation in painting and minor repairs at several locations. Organizers also spoke about large quantities of collected goods that advisors brought to the island and about coordination with the Jamaica Tourist Board and local partners. The message repeated by both Jamaican officials and participants was clear: tourism can return faster than the community, but recovery cannot be called complete until the needs of institutions that carry everyday life, such as schools and social institutions, are resolved.

Communication Dimension: "Come, See, and Convey a Verified Image"

Such programs also have a clear communication purpose. Advisors, after visiting facilities and talking to local actors, become intermediaries of information to travelers. Reports mention that many participants were surprised by the extent of damage to schools and in certain neighborhoods – damage that is not necessarily visible from hotel complexes – so the importance of "first-hand experience" for giving informed recommendations was emphasized.

The organizers summarized the mission in three directions: support, service, and sharing. Support referred to the collection and delivery of donations; service to field work in communities; sharing to advisors conveying a verified image of the destination through their own channels, personally with clients or through digital content. Such an approach attempts to combine the short-term effect of aid with the long-term effect of returning confidence, which in tourism directly translates into bookings.

Broader Context: Jamaica's Recovery Strategy and the Role of Industry Partners

Bartlett emphasized in official messages that crisis management relies on consistent communication and stakeholder coordination. A report from the Jamaica Information Service states that the minister, addressing the industry, drew a parallel with the approach from the pandemic: keeping the destination open for business, coordinating a clear message, and directing the market toward reliable information. In the context of the hurricane, the "message" primarily referred to reopening deadlines, the state of infrastructure, and the readiness of the system to accept guests, emphasizing that the market must not feed on unverified rumors or general impressions.

For travel companies like ALG Vacations, this format of travel has multiple benefits. It strengthens the connection with the destination, gives advisors arguments for sales in a sensitive period, and demonstrates social responsibility in a way that is visible to the local community. At the same time, industry reports suggest that certain hotel houses used the reconstruction for additional facility improvements, so the return of tourism is sought to be presented as a return to a refreshed product, and not just as a return to the previous state. In combination with volunteering, such a narrative targets travelers who want security but also the feeling that by traveling they are participating in the recovery of the destination.

What Follows: New Waves and Measurable Impact for Communities

The announcement that 1,000 advisors applied for volunteering opens space for the program to develop into a multi-phase model with clear priorities. If the interest indeed turns into organized arrivals, the key challenge will be selecting projects with the greatest impact: schools, community centers, shelters, health and social institutions, and other institutions that, according to field reports, were often among the hardest hit. In such a model, voluntourism becomes more than a one-time event, as it turns into a repeating framework of cooperation between the industry and the destination.

For Jamaica, the balance between the relatively fast recovery of tourism infrastructure and the slower recovery of part of the communities is crucial. That is precisely why, in messages from the event in Montego Bay, tourism is not treated as an isolated industry, but as a channel that can accelerate the return of income and services where damage has left the deepest mark. In this sense, "Come Back to Give Back" attempts to combine what the destination needs immediately – bookings and stable air traffic – with what it needs for months: practical help at locations that carry long-term social recovery.

Sources:

• TravelPulse – report from the "Advisors in Action: Come Back to Give Back" event and statements from Minister Edmund Bartlett and Jacki Marks link
• Jamaica Information Service (JIS) – official overview of the minister's messages on tourism recovery and strategy after Hurricane Melissa link
• Jamaica Observer – description of the ALG Vacations mission, visits to institutions, and volunteer activities in communities link
• The Gleaner (Jamaica) – details on humanitarian logistics, eight institutions in western Jamaica, and statements on interest from more than 1,000 agents link
• Travel Weekly – report from volunteering in Montego Bay and data on reopening and consequences of the storm on communities link
• Travel Agent Central – data on more than 23,000 room nights worth about 8 million dollars and the context of cooperation with the Jamaica Tourist Board link