Hurricane Melissa’s strongest winds tore across Jamaica, where hotels in Montego Bay and along the north-west coast reported roof failures, blown-out windows and flooding.
Footage verified by Reuters showed roof damage at Dreams Rose Hall Resort & Spa during the storm’s peak, while separate videos captured sections of Sangster International Airport’s roof ripped away, underscoring the strain on the tourism hub that serves major resorts.
Authorities declared a disaster, and carriers began restoring limited schedules once safety checks allowed.
American Airlines said services were resuming in Kingston, with wider flight normalisation dependent on airport infrastructure and power.
Mixed picture in Cuba, the Bahamas and Turks & Caicos
After Jamaica, Melissa crossed eastern Cuba, prompting mass evacuations and flooding. Early trade updates suggest many of Cuba’s main tourist corridors escaped the worst, though assessments continue in affected eastern provinces.
In the southern Bahamas, islands such as Inagua and Mayaguana faced severe weather and disruption, while the wider archipelago prepared for knock-on travel delays.
Further north, Turks & Caicos lifted its storm warning and announced airport reopenings, paving the way for hotels to bring back staff and guests in a controlled manner.
Stranded visitors, phased reopenings and limited services
Thousands of visitors sheltered in place across resort properties as airports halted operations during landfall, with hoteliers prioritising food, water and safe shelter.
UK and European travellers faced cancellations and rebooking queues as tour operators and airlines paused Jamaica services; Virgin Atlantic advised customers that on-the-ground assessments were under way before travel could restart at scale.
Industry reporting points to a staged return of flights and port calls as runways and roads are cleared and utility grids stabilise.
What hotels should expect next
For the coming days, hotels in the worst-hit Jamaican districts can expect ongoing power and water interruptions; priority engineering inspections; and partial closures of damaged wings while unaffected blocks reopen first.
Properties in eastern Cuba are focused on flood clean-up and structural checks, while many Bahamian and Turks & Caicos resorts are moving to business-continuity mode as skies clear and airports reopen.
Forward bookings are likely to bifurcate: near-term softening in heavily damaged zones, with faster demand recovery where infrastructure is intact and flights are back.
Operators should plan for extended lead times on roofing, glazing and electrical parts, lean on flexible cancellation policies to maintain customer confidence, and coordinate closely with airlines and destination authorities as capacity returns.
