When Hurricane Melissa made landfall in Jamaica as a powerful Category 5 storm, it became the strongest hurricane to ever strike the island and one of the most intense in Atlantic history. As the storm tore through the island, it left widespread damage and grounded flights for thousands of residents and visitors. Among those stranded was Stephanie Brayford, a Canadian tourist vacationing with her family in Negril when the hurricane hit.
With winds raging and palm trees snapping in half outside the hotel, Brayford sheltered in a conference room with other guests -- describing what she heard as "things out of movies."
Here's a closer look at the uncertainty and unexpected challenges she faced as the storm unfolded.
Stranded Canadian Tourist Describes Harrowing Hurricane Melissa Experience In Jamaica
Canadian tourist Stephanie Brayford arrived in Negril on October 18 for a vacation at the Royalton Luxury All-Inclusive Resort, unaware that within days she would be caught in one of the strongest hurricanes ever to hit Jamaica. When Hurricane Melissa formed on October 21, her return flight home with Air Canada, scheduled for October 26, was canceled, leaving her and her family stranded as the storm intensified.
In an interview with CBC News, Brayford said the scene outside was unlike anything she'd ever experienced, even after having lived through a tornado. "The winds just take your breath away," she said, describing the conditions as she and other guests sheltered in the hotel's conference room.
"The noises last night when Melissa had not made landfall at that point were just things out of movies. Palm trees have snapped -- they tried to board up that entrance so [there] would be less wind in [the] hallway, and they were gone within hours of putting them up," Brayford continued.
When Brayford learned that the storm was headed toward Negril, she extended her family's stay at the Royalton for safety. But the decision came at a steep price. The family was charged $6,000 CAD (about $4,290 USD) to extend their booking.
"I was shocked that we were paying that much -- we were paying what you would pay if you were booking a vacation, let's say, three weeks ago. We're not sleeping in the room. That came as a bit of a shock to us."
Brayford added that she was surprised to learn there was no contingency plan for resort guests unable to afford additional nights during a national emergency like Hurricane Melissa.
Jamaica Begins Restoring Travel Infrastructure After Hurricane Melissa
By midweek, Hurricane Melissa had finally moved north of Jamaica after stalling over the island for days. From Tuesday night, the hurricane warning was lifted, and Melissa began moving toward Cuba and Bermuda. In its wake, Jamaica was left with extensive flooding, downed trees, and widespread power outages.
Hurricane Melissa Timeline:
Date
Location
Category
October 25
125 miles off the coast of Kingston, Jamaica
Category 3
October 28
Made landfall in southern Jamaica
Category 5
October 28
Northern Jamaica
Category 4
October 29
Cuba
Category 3
October 30
Bermuda
Category 2
Air travel is slowly returning to normal as cleanup operations begin. Sangster International Airport (MBJ) in Montego Bay reopened midweek for emergency flights and is preparing to resume partial commercial service by Friday, October 31. Ian Fleming International Airport (OCJ) in Saint Mary Parish reopened for both relief and commercial flights early Thursday morning, followed by Norman Manley International Airport (KIN) in Kingston at 8 a.m.
Now, government officials say they are focusing on rebuilding the country's infrastructure. Minister of Tourism Edmund Bartlett has set a goal to have Jamaica's tourism industry fully up and running by December 15, 2025. To meet that goal, the Ministry created the Hurricane Melissa Recovery Task Force and a group named Tourism Cares to coordinate rebuilding efforts across the tourism sector.
"Tourism's strength lies not just in its product offerings, but in its people and partnerships. The speed and synergy of our response show the industry's resilience and our unwavering commitment to recovery with empathy, compassion, and innovation," said Bartlett in a news release announcing the goal.
While this plan is ambitious, officials are confident that Jamaica's tourism industry will regain its footing despite the challenges.