Negril’s road nightmare

WESTERN BUREAU:

Visitors travelling from Sangster International Airport (SIA) in Montego Bay, St James to Negril can spend up to four hours on the road during rainy weather, according to hoteliers, as a new international study ranks the Westmoreland resort town 91st among 100 beach destinations for airport accessibility.

The findings contrast sharply with Montego Bay, which placed seventh in the global ranking, highlighting the advantage of having Jamaica’s busiest tourism airport within minutes of several major hotels and beaches.

The study, conducted by international ground transportation technology company Mozio, examined the accessibility of 100 beach destinations worldwide, using driving time and distance from their primary airports to determine the rankings.

For Negril hoteliers, who have been complaining about deteriorating road conditions along the route from Montego Bay, the findings bring renewed attention to a longstanding challenge affecting the resort town.

In an appeal to Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness, hotelier Lee Issa urged him to visit Negril to witness the traffic congestion and delays affecting the journey from Montego Bay.

“We are inviting you to come to Negril to tour and see for yourself the chaotic traffic hold-ups we are experiencing on the drive from Montego Bay to Negril. We want to meet with you. Let’s see how we can rectify a bad situation. I am in touch with all the stakeholders. They feel you are the one who can improve the present dreadful delays caused by several projects occurring simultaneously on the roads from MoBay to Negril.”

Serious consequences for tourism operators

Issa warned that the situation could have serious consequences for tourism operators, including the possibility of having to refund visitors’ deposits.

“All of us in the tourist industry in the Negril area might have to start refunding the deposits that have been given to us. I can see this coming. Just remember, we have a pipe laying in progress on the Norman Manley Boulevard in the middle of the winter season. May God help us.”

Issa’s concerns echo those of other hoteliers who, speaking with The Sunday Gleaner but opting not to be identified, expressed frustration over the time required to transport visitors from SIA to Negril. They said the journey can stretch to as much as three hours, particularly during rainfall.

The situation was particularly troubling on Friday, according to one JUTA driver, who said it took him five hours to travel from Negril to Montego Bay.

“It took me five hours to get from Negril to Montego Bay,” the driver said.

The complaints raise questions about the impact of inadequate road infrastructure on a destination that competes internationally for visitors, particularly those seeking shorter vacations.

Mozio’s study, titled ‘The World’s Most and Least Accessible Beach Destinations’, calculated accessibility using driving time, weighted at 60 per cent, and driving distance, which accounted for the remaining 40 per cent.

Montego Bay’s seventh-place ranking reflects the proximity of SIA to the city’s principal tourism areas, where visitors can reach several major resorts and beaches shortly after arriving in Jamaica.

Negril, internationally recognised for its Seven Mile Beach, spectacular sunsets and distinctive tourism offerings, is considerably farther from the airport and depends heavily on the road network connecting the two resort towns.

Its 91st-place ranking does not reflect the quality of its beaches, hotels or visitor experiences. Rather, it highlights the additional time and distance involved in reaching the destination.

Difficulty of moving

visitors efficiently

However, the concerns raised by hoteliers suggest that the challenges extend beyond geography, with poor road conditions and weather-related delays adding to the difficulty of moving visitors efficiently.

For a destination whose economy depends heavily on tourism, lengthy airport transfers can become an important consideration for travellers deciding where to spend their holidays.

The concerns come as Jamaica continues efforts to restore and strengthen its tourism industry following Hurricane Melissa.

Negril hoteliers have repeatedly highlighted the need for improvements to the roads serving the resort town, warning that difficult journeys from the airport can undermine the visitor experience before guests even reach their accommodation.

The issue is particularly relevant to visitors arriving for short stays, for whom several hours spent travelling between the airport and hotel can reduce valuable vacation time.

Mozio CEO Nicole Kerr said travellers should pay attention to transportation arrangements when selecting their destinations.

“When planning a trip, it is important to consider how to get from the airport to the final destination and what transportation options are available to complete that journey,” Kerr said.

She noted that comparing prices, estimated travel times and available services can help visitors make better decisions and organise their vacations according to their budgets and needs.

The Jamaica Tourist Board reported that the island welcomed 2.34 million visitors between January and August 2026, generating approximately US$2.5 billion in tourism earnings.

Against that background, the efficiency of the country’s ground transportation network remains an important consideration for an industry seeking to improve its competitiveness.

While Montego Bay’s airport proximity gives it a natural advantage, Negril’s lower ranking highlights a broader issue: the need to ensure that the journey to one of Jamaica’s most celebrated resort towns does not become an obstacle to enjoying it.

janet.silvera@gleanerjm.com