When the Planes Return but the Roofs Don’t

Tourism is rebounding after Hurricane Melissa. For many Jamaicans, recovery has not.

A powerful aerial view of a storm-ravaged church, its roof torn away and interior exposed, revealing shattered beams and debris scattered across the floor. The once-vibrant turquoise arched windows and stone walls still stand, contrasting resilience against destruction. Beyond the broken structure, a quiet rural landscape stretches toward distant hills, where damaged trees and scattered homes hint at the wider impact of the disaster—yet life, somehow, continues.

• Visitor arrivals are nearing pre-hurricane levels

• Roughly a quarter of hotel rooms are still offline

• Thousands of Jamaicans remain displaced or under repaired roofs

• Tourism capital is moving faster than housing recovery

• The real question: recovery for whom, and on whose timeline?

The planes are landing again.

Airports are busy, hotel lobbies are reopening, and the language of recovery has returned to familiar rhythms, arrivals, occupancy, demand. Jamaica, officials say, is nearing a full rebound in tourism after Hurricane Melissa tor…