Jamaica’s Crippled Tourism Industry Further Weakened by Worker Protests
A resident of the West Kingston slum Tivoli Gardens holds a Jamaican flag during a protest in Kingston, Jamaica, Wednesday, March 20, 2013. (Photo: AP Photo/David McFadden)
Numerous protests have erupted in Jamaica’s tourism sector over complaints of underpayment, long hours, withheld tips, and a lack of job security. The first protest occurred at the Royalton Negril in Westmoreland on Oct. 21, 2024 — National Heroes Day in Jamaica, a holiday celebrating those who fought for independence. 200 employees walked off the job to protest their general manager and poor working conditions. While their concerns were swiftly addressed following a meeting with Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett, which resulted in their return to work, this demonstration inspired a chain of protests at other hotels.
Along the northwest of the island, in parishes such as Westmoreland, Saint James, and Trelawny, a flurry of hotel and resort employees have begun participating in protests. Jamaica’s tourism industry has experienced an increasingly turbulent year. Initially, the sector performed well, with a record two million visitors in the first five months of the year. However, a series of setbacks slowed tourism significantly.
On July 3, Hurricane Beryl made landfall as a Category 4 storm, causing significant damage to the island. Shortly after, the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom issued travel advisories against Jamaica. The US raised its advisory to Level 3, Canada raised its advisory to the second tier of “exercise a high degree of caution,” and the UK added warnings to its travel page for the island. All three nations cited a rise in crime as the reason for the advisories. Given that most tourists to Jamaica come from the US and Canada, the advisories dealt a significant blow to the tourism industry. Additionally, the 2024 US election contributed to the fall in tourism, as people tend to travel less during major election periods.
The Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association noted that these factors likely exacerbated the strenuous conditions under which tourism workers had been operating. When employees of the Iberostar Hotel in Montego Bay staged a protest chanting “We want more money,” Jamaica’s Ministry of Tourism intervened. Ministry of Tourism’s Senior Advisor and Strategist Delano Seiveright addressed the workers, acknowledging the critical role they play in Jamaica’s tourism industry. Seiveright also engaged with protesting and striking workers at other hotels, including employees of the Breathless Resort in Montego Bay. One employee told reporters that staff were being worked “like slaves, working from 8 am to 9 pm without any remuneration.” Seiveright negotiated with both the employees and the hotel management, resulting in staff returning to work. He also pledged to conduct additional meetings in the coming months to ensure workers were properly taken care of.
Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness addresses the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly at UN headquarters on Sept. 22, 2022. (Photo: AP Photo/Jason DeCrow)
Despite progress made at certain hotels, many still have a significant number of disgruntled employees demanding better pay and hours. The Planning Institute of Jamaica now projects a 0.2 percent decline in the financial year due to issues in the tourism sector. Prime Minister Andrew Holness addressed the economic crisis and ongoing protests during a meeting with the Jamaican Labour Party, stating that grievances cannot be allowed to derail the tourism industry.
As winter approaches, Jamaica enters what is typically the peak of its tourist season. It remains unclear whether the influx of tourists will significantly offset the damages incurred over the past few months, but some, including Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett, remain optimistic. Bartlett stated that by “October, November, December, everything will be back on track in terms of performance.” Additionally, he has pledged to address the growing discontent within the tourism industry, promising to work with employees to “ensure that they are happy.”