US$200-million infrastructure upgrade for St Thomas

[HL]

Big tourism projection for Hanover

GREEN ISLAND, Hanover — Ed Bartlett is projecting that in five years Hanover will be western Jamaica's strongest tourism parish.

Bartlett made the forecast Thursday during a visit to Princess Hotels in Green Island, Hanover.

"So, you have 5,000 rooms right within the area, from Rhodes Hall [in Orange Bay] to Point in Lucea," Bartlett, the tourism minister, stated, adding that Lucea, the capital of Hanover, is to become a tourism town, paving the way for it to be marketed as a resort "in the same way that we are going to be marketing St Thomas as a destination".

Meanwhile, Delano Seiveright, senior adviser and strategist in the Ministry of Tourism, told the Jamaica Observer that Grand Palladium Hotel in Point, Hanover, which has 1,000 rooms, is slated to double this figure, while Viva Wyndham Resort in Rhodes Hall will be constructing 1,000 rooms. He added that Princess Hotel will officially open to the public in January 2024 with 2,000 rooms. The three projects, he said, are expected to cost approximately US$1 billion.

https://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news...n-for-hanover/

Lucea a tourism town? Sound kinda ruff imo.

Can't see the appeal of Lucea. It's congested and rugged..

No side walks, poor drainage of water at the side of the road.

Maybe this is a political ploy by Minister Bartlett.

[Assasin]

HL you miss this part "He also spoke of a bypass road for Lucea, Hopewell, and Sandy Bay".

[HL]

HL you miss this part "He also spoke of a bypass road for Lucea, Hopewell, and Sandy Bay".

I did. And a bypass would be welcomed. It takes bout hour and half to get to Negril from Mobay . Remember when it took over 2 hours.

Any improvements on the road would be welcomed.

[Jangle]

Saint Thomas To Be Jamaica’s Next Must-Visit Vacation Destination

The parish of St. Thomas located east of Jamaica’s capital city of Kingston is expected to become the island’s next popular tourist destination. Access to what has been called the “forgotten parish” will be facilitated in August 2023 with the completion of a section of the Southern Coastal Highway Project. The highway represents a portion of Jamaica’s plan to provide better access to communities in the country’s more remote areas.

The St. Thomas Area

St. Thomas is known for its natural beauty, history, agriculture, fishing, and surfing. Located in the parish are the Blue Mountains, the Bath Fountain mineral spring, Reggae Falls, and Bob Marley Beach. The parish currently is home to about 3.5 percent of Jamaica’s population but receives less than one percent of its tourists. Most visitors to St. Thomas are Jamaican residents.

https://jamaicans.com/saint-thomas-t...edium=facebook

[Jangle]

Highway project sparks major resort-style housing development in St Thomas

REAL ESTATE growth is on the rise in Jamaica’s newest frontier for development – St Thomas.

Among them is a major resort-style gated community that is poised to elevate the eastern parish’s profile.

The multibillion-dollar Sun Coast Beach Club will span 90 acres of beachfront property in Twelve Miles, Bull Bay, with a mix of residential options comprising townhouses, villas, duplexes and luxury condominiums.

If one were to ask conceptualiser, TCF Holding Limited’s Kevin Frith, what attracted this massive development to the parish, his answer would be quite simple – the Government’s larger-than-life Southern Coastal Highway Improvement Project (SCHIP).

“Roads bring development, and without the road it would be a difficult sell, as nice as it is,” Frith, who is chief executive officer for the Beach Club, said.

https://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/...ment-st-thomas

[Jangle]

Bartlett driving St Thomas development with TUI Group


“St Thomas has become extremely attractive and is ripe for investment as this highway development comes on stream. It only makes sense that as we diversify our tourism products that we zero in on the possibilities that exist in the parish.

I am happy that our long-standing partner, TUI Group, continues to show confidence in the destination by including Jamaica in its expansion plans. This future mega investment will translate to more jobs and opportunities for communities and will be a game changer for the parish,” Minister Bartlett is quoted as saying in a release from the Ministry of Tourism.

TUI Group senior executives, led by their CEO of Markets and Airlines, David Schelp, reconfirmed their strong partnership with Jamaica as one of its key destinations in the Caribbean.

Considered the largest travel company in the world, it is also the leading tour operator for Germans going to Jamaica.

TUI Group fully or partially owns several travel agencies, hotel chains, cruise lines and retail shops as well as five European airlines. These activities involve the operation of 353 hotels with 275,144 beds and it allows its brand to be used for another 65 hotels operated by third parties. These hotels accommodate 21 million guests per year. It also operates 16 cruise ships under the TUI Cruises, Hapag-Lloyd Cruises and Marella Cruises brands, as well as a fleet of 134 aircraft.



https://www.jamaicaobserver.com/2024...ent-tui-group/

[Assasin]

TUI is no joke at all. They have a lot of business.

[Jangle]

Tourist destination status for St Thomas

Now, Minister of Tourism Edmund Bartlett has big tourism plans for St Thomas to inspire the development of tourism in that eastern parish, where a new town centre is now under construction. The minister wants the parish to be Jamaica’s newest tourist destination.

In a meeting last week with German leisure, travel and tourism company TUI Group, it was confirmed that the company is exploring expanding its footprints in Jamaica and is showing signs of interest to invest in St Thomas, according to the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB). And, Minister Bartlett is pushing for such plans to include St Thomas, “the ideal location”, while ensuring sustainable tourism practices.

https://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/...atus-st-thomas

[Jangle]

‘Forgotten no more’

New opportunities for St Thomas residents with Morant Bay Urban Centre

THE Morant Bay Urban Centre project, which is set to be completed by September, was Thursday described by Prime Minister Andrew Holness as the “economic engine” for driving development and improving livelihood for St Thomas residents.

“The parish of St Thomas is better off today than it was 10 years ago, without question,” he said during a tour of the construction site on Thursday.

Holness said the centre, which was first conceptualised in 2018, will not only boost the country’s economic development but also provide opportunities for St Thomas residents, specifically those who live close to the urban centre.

“In effect, the Government, in making the investment in developing this town, is creating a new economic engine that will power the development of St Thomas and we intend to replicate this model right across Jamaica,” he said.

The businesses within the centre, Holness said, will create job opportunities for more residents in various sectors and will offer convenience to residents by eliminating the need for frequent travel to Kingston to handle daily affairs.

He highlighted the introduction of buildings for the University of the Commonwealth Caribbean (UCC) and the Heart/NSTA Trust training institute as key to residents having more access to educational opportunities.

“Heart will give all levels of training which we normally do in the parish but now we will have a purpose-built facility to advance and accelerate the training of the workforce here to supply all the needs of this facility,” said Holness.

https://www.jamaicaobserver.com/2024...2-0415-375634/

[Jangle]

High-end destination

St Thomas eyed for luxury tourists

The Ministry of Tourism plans to develop a luxury tourism market in the parish of St Thomas as part of a strategic push to diversify Jamaica’s tourism product by offering more high-end, community-based services.

Speaking to a panel of reporters recently during a Jamaica Observer Business Forum, portfolio minister Edmund Bartlett shared that the Government intends to execute a structured plan in the south-eastern parish that takes into account the topography of the parish, its natural assets, and the culture of the people.

“St Thomas is going to be an organised and structured destination. We completed the study on it and we have a full document on all the assets that are there, where they are located, and the geophysical arrangements that are there and the endowments as they are — the cultural pattern and everything,” the tourism minister stated.

“Even the geomorphology of the land we have done studies on to know what kind of buildings to go where,” he added.

According to the Ministry of Tourism’s Tourism Destination Development and Management Plan for the Parish of St Thomas, Jamaica, the parish is home to about 33 natural and cultural assets, including Blue Mountain Peak, Reggae Falls, Bath Fountain and Hotel, Morant Point Lighthouse, and Lyssons beach. While the parish offers a variety of accommodations, only three hotels are licensed by Tourism Product Development Company.

Custos of St Thomas Marcia Bennett, herself a hotel operator, told Business Observer in an interview that she would like to see at least two major hotel chains setting up operations in that parish, given its proximity to Norman Manley International Airport.

However, Bartlett — drawing a contrast with Jamaica’s more established tourism markets in Montego Bay, Ocho Rios and Negril, where development of the hospitality industry
grew up around the beachfront properties and created mass market appeal — pointed out that the plan for St Thomas is to “utilise the assets to the fullest benefit of the people, and to look at a less-dense type of tourism arrangement with more environmentally friendly arrangements, and also to utilise the vantage points to the maximum”. On this note he explained that construction of the Kingston to St Thomas highway was deliberate and strategic as it offers motorists and commuters the best views of the parish.

“It is the higher end of tourism product that is going to be in St Thomas,” Bartlett shared, noting that developing a luxury tourism product market will require some oversight and management.

“We’ve been looking at investment partners who can begin to set the tone for what we have planned,” he added.

https://www.jamaicaobserver.com/2024...d-destination/

[Jangle]

St Thomas property surge prompts families to reclaim ancestral lands

Forgotten ancestral lands in St Thomas are emerging as a hidden treasure, driving a surge in property activity as families rush to secure titles and unlock the value of plots left to them by their grandparents, Newton Johnson, former president of the Real Estate Association of Jamaica, has said.

This newfound interest is reshaping the real estate landscape in the parish that has long been overlooked but now primed for growth.

“St Thomas is on the brink of a major boom,” Johnson told the Jamaica Observer in a recent interview about the outlook of Jamaica’s real estate market in 2025.

“Many Jamaicans are now realising that lands passed down through generations are no longer dormant assets — they’re opportunities waiting to be unlocked.”

In recent months, land prices in the parish have skyrocketed. Plots that once sold for between $4 and $5 million now command as much as $14 million for 10,000 square feet. This price surge coincides with the completion of the Southern Coastal Highway Improvement Project, which has significantly improved access to the parish, making it a prime location for residential and commercial developments.

Johnson noted that many of these lands are ancestral properties, often neglected for decades.

https://www.jamaicaobserver.com/2025...cestral-lands/

[Assasin]

Them nah wait fi the real estate bust that I heard been coming fi the last 5 years?
Mi little sister have a little place there. I keep telling her to hold onto to it at all cost.

[Jangle]

Gov’t revives stalled tourism projects in eastern Jamaica

March 23, 2025

LONG-DELAYED Government projects are back on the agenda for the parishes of St Thomas and Portland, coinciding with a surge of investor and individual interest in the corridor, which is fast becoming a hot spot for high-end tourism and real estate development.

Speaking at Parliament’s Standing Finance Committee meeting earlier this month, Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett outlined a series of initiatives aimed at unlocking the region’s potential.

By revitalising heritage sites, improving air connectivity, and leveraging the Southern Coastal Highway Improvement Project, the Government seeks to position the region as a prime destination for visitors.

One of the key areas receiving attention is Bath Fountain Hotel and Spa, an attraction with rich historical significance but one that has struggled with underdevelopment.

The mineral-rich thermal springs — once set for a $100-million upgrade in 2010 before plans were shelved — are now receiving renewed Government attention. Over the past five years the Government has allocated funding for Bath’s redevelopment, with fiscal year 2024/25 marking the largest investment yet at $34.2 million. For this fiscal this year, $25 million has been earmarked to elevate Bath Fountain into a premier wellness destination.

“I’m anticipating that with the development plan for St Thomas, which is taking shape, Bath Fountain will play a critical role in providing the experiential value that is unique to that region. In fact… the mineral content and the level of health facilitation that that it promises is impatient of even our discussion,” the minister said in response to questions from the Opposition.

He pointed out that the site’s geothermal activity recently intensified due to seismic shifts, which presents an opportunity to develop a high-end spa comparable to international wellness retreats.

“A lot of people don’t know that Bath [Botanical Gardens] was the first [of its kind] to be established outside of the UK, and, in fact, it was named after a place in the UK called Bath. So we have assets there that can be developed,” Bartlett shared.

“I must commend the manager and the new board of Bath for the excellent work that has been done there, over the last two years in particular. We know we have issues with the community, but there is a greater sense of coordination now between what happens at the fountain or the hotel and the community itself,” he continued.

https://www.jamaicaobserver.com/2025...stern-jamaica/

[Jangle]

Gov’t revives stalled tourism projects in eastern Jamaica

March 23, 2025

LONG-DELAYED Government projects are back on the agenda for the parishes of St Thomas and Portland, coinciding with a surge of investor and individual interest in the corridor, which is fast becoming a hot spot for high-end tourism and real estate development.

Speaking at Parliament’s Standing Finance Committee meeting earlier this month, Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett outlined a series of initiatives aimed at unlocking the region’s potential.

By revitalising heritage sites, improving air connectivity, and leveraging the Southern Coastal Highway Improvement Project, the Government seeks to position the region as a prime destination for visitors.

One of the key areas receiving attention is Bath Fountain Hotel and Spa, an attraction with rich historical significance but one that has struggled with underdevelopment.

The mineral-rich thermal springs — once set for a $100-million upgrade in 2010 before plans were shelved — are now receiving renewed Government attention. Over the past five years the Government has allocated funding for Bath’s redevelopment, with fiscal year 2024/25 marking the largest investment yet at $34.2 million. For this fiscal this year, $25 million has been earmarked to elevate Bath Fountain into a premier wellness destination.

“I’m anticipating that with the development plan for St Thomas, which is taking shape, Bath Fountain will play a critical role in providing the experiential value that is unique to that region. In fact… the mineral content and the level of health facilitation that that it promises is impatient of even our discussion,” the minister said in response to questions from the Opposition.

He pointed out that the site’s geothermal activity recently intensified due to seismic shifts, which presents an opportunity to develop a high-end spa comparable to international wellness retreats.

“A lot of people don’t know that Bath [Botanical Gardens] was the first [of its kind] to be established outside of the UK, and, in fact, it was named after a place in the UK called Bath. So we have assets there that can be developed,” Bartlett shared.

“I must commend the manager and the new board of Bath for the excellent work that has been done there, over the last two years in particular. We know we have issues with the community, but there is a greater sense of coordination now between what happens at the fountain or the hotel and the community itself,” he continued.

https://www.jamaicaobserver.com/2025...stern-jamaica/

[Jangle]

Big residential development for small White Horses

New Rozelle Properties Limited is investing in a large-scale mixed-use development in White Horses, St Thomas, that leverages the upgraded road infrastructure and rising community expectations, documents show.

The company plans to build 917 residential units on 150-acres spread – equivalent to about 55 football fields – as outlined in an environmental impact assessment report done by Ecosystems Quality Management Limited on behalf of New Rozelle.

Construction will be done in five phases, starting in 2026, pending approval by the National Environment and Planning Agency.

The development will feature a mix of family homes, townhouses, and commercial shopping, though the total investment cost remains undisclosed. The Financial Gleaner contacted three directors at New Rozelle Properties who declined to comment, for now, having noted a preference to complete the ongoing community consultations.

“The proposed Rozelle Estates development emerges at a pivotal moment for the communities of Rozelle and White Horses in St Thomas, Jamaica,” the impact report stated. “This social impact assessment reveals a strong consensus among residents and local business operators that the development is both necessary and timely.”

https://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/...l-white-horses