By Fern Davis

As the 2024/25 winter tourist season fast approaches, the Island Village Plaza in Ocho Rios, St Ann, is again reassuring local guests that they need not be concerned about hotels suspending the sale of day passes.

The popular entertainment, souvenir and food entity, which recently partnered with attraction company Chukka Caribbean Adventures, said it will be providing alternatives equally engaging and even more enjoyable as the amenities accessible using hotel day passes.

This assurance from Island Village comes following the usual announcements by several major hotels that they are discontinuing sales of the popular day passes for the Christmas and New Year holidays and, in some cases, indefinitely until occupancy levels drop below 80 per cent. 

“Don’t worry…don’t panic…we are and will continue to be that reliable alternative,” said Island Village’s operations manager, Andrew Reid, adding that the plaza has been open to locals and tourists for over 20 years.

He adds that the complex has been re-imagined to be a destination offering an enticing mix of shopping and experiences, with no entrance fee.

“It’s a place where visitors can browse through a variety of stores offering everything, from local crafts to international brands. The Fun Zone is free for children, who can enjoy the splash pad, lawn games or look for turtles and fish in our pond,” Reid informed.

“The beach at Island Village, with its pristine white sands and inviting waters, is the ideal place to relax and soak up the Jamaican sun. So, if you’re looking for an unforgettable day in Ocho Rios, don’t fret about hotel day passes! Chukka Caribbean Adventures and Island Village Plaza welcome you with open arms,” he further stated. 

Reid conceded as hotels experience high occupancy levels during the winter tourist season, it has become customary and “second nature” for Island Village to step up to the plate, offering local guests and tourists, notably those on the Airbnb platform, an appealing alternative, while assuring that “we are offering even more options for a memorable experience.”

He mused that the experience includes a wide array of shopping, dining, and entertainment options, noting that the plaza boasts a variety of boutiques, souvenir shops, and culinary delights, making it an ideal destination for local guests seeking an alternative to hotel day passes.

“As I said…no worries! Time spent at Island Village Plaza guarantees an unforgettable day filled with adventure, entertainment and relaxation,” he added.

Reid also anticipates the hotels’ suspension of the day passes being a “win-win” for the hospitality sector’s wider stakeholders.

He noted that their offerings are indicative of the diverseness of Jamaica’s tourism product, adding that locals can enjoy the same amenities as their overseas counterparts.

“Visitors can indulge in delicious local cuisine, explore unique retail outlets, and even catch live performances, ensuring a lively and fulfilling day.

They can also book tours from the Chukka tour desk to any of its locations or to other places, including Dunn’s River Falls; And don’t forget that there are activities for kids,” he further shares.

He further assures that Island Village prioritise guest safety and adheres to the highest hygiene and sanitisation standards, emphasising that stringent protocols are in place to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for all visitors.

Delano Seiveright, senior adviser and strategist in the Ministry of Tourism, says he couldn’t think of a more ideal situation where no one is being sidelined, based on what is happening with what is shaping up to be the best winter season in Jamaica’s history.

“Frankly, this is a great problem to have…a win-win for everybody. The hotels will tell you that this decision is not intended to slight or be unappreciative of persons utilising the day passes, but to better enable them to facilitate their in-house guests, especially in the beach and dining areas,” he noted.

“That is understandable, especially during this busy time. What I like however is that we have such diverse offerings that here we have a Island Village which is saying, come on over, we got you!”

Seiveright says that he is comfortable that with the dining, shopping and entertainment experiences being offered by Island Village, visitors, especially locals, will have many of the same experiences they would have had by purchasing a day pass to a hotel.

“Heck, you have the beaches and also Margaritaville…there’s even a theatre,” he adds. “The big winner here is Jamaica’s tourism and our beautiful tourism product. We long recognize that our most iconic asset are our people and its great to have alternatives for our locals.”    

For his part, Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA) president, Robin Russell, notes that discontinuing day pass sales during season’s peak period is done to have “a better customer experience.”

“What happens is, when you allow day passes, they take up the amenities like beach and pool chairs; also, the restaurant’s seatings can’t manage the extra capacity. So, it causes complaints from guests staying at hotels,” he contended.

“More than enough restaurants, beaches, [and] attractions are out there. We need to get even the hotel guests to leave the properties and go outside. The true Jamaican experience is not limited to inside the hotel walls. We also need to be highlighting more of the stuff that is on the outside,” he added.