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If you are wanting to come down...
We all know that the borders are open because Jamaica needs to keep the economy going. The government would have never done that if it was not in every Jamaicans best interest. They are keeping the protocols flexible in order to keep everyone safe from Covid which is posing problems and issues for our visitors. We appreciate your patience and understanding.
Because of the complete closure of the tourism industry in March, which accounts for approximately 20% of the foreign exchange and the declining remittances (16%), the foreign exchange being held by the Bank of Jamaica has dropped to the point that the Jamaican dollar is at its lowest value in history. With the current bank rate at J$150 to US$1, this is creating a desperate situation for the entire country.
Since Jamaica relies on imports, especially for oil and food stuffs, the price of everything is going up substantially. Things will only get worse unless we can increase our foreign exchange. Which is where you come in.
If you are wanting to come down, please do. Stay at the smaller resorts that are offering some great incentives right now. Feel free to tip in cash, while bringing down gifts are nice, everyone needs foreign currency at the moment much more than perfumes or shoes. That will be the only way to stop the slide of Jamaican dollar.
Unfortunately we're getting tourists here that are being quite demanding. A recent example was demanding discounts on everything, not tipping, even refusing to pay the service charges and taxes on the bills. With the local economy being what it is, please don't nickle and dime everything. If you can afford to come here now, we need your support, not to be taken advantage of at every opportunity.
So please, if you are wanting to come down, we are welcoming you! We need your support now more than ever.
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Re: If you are wanting to come down...
You are so correct - stay in smaller resorts - and do not demand discounts - be as generous as possible. I was there last month and was very grateful that Negril was welcoming and gracious. I made sure that I tipped - in cash - all those who helped me have a wonderful vacation.
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Re: If you are wanting to come down...
I just got back August 12 as well and already rebooked to return 27Sep I cannot wait go back and support the Jamaican people we love so much !
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Re: If you are wanting to come down...
I'm on board with this. I'm happy to take shorter trips to hang out at a nice place for the time being. I'm due at Tensing Pen next week - I'll test whether I can stand it for 9 days lol. The tricky part is the timing of getting tested and getting results soon enough, then applying for travel authorization and getting approval soon enough - I'm waiting for test results and crossing my fingers.
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Re: If you are wanting to come down...
Well said Rob, we just sent money Western Union to our friends. Something to think about if you are not ready to travel yet. We are booked for late January my wife is still on the the fence but I am going no matter what. It has been a long year with no travel, but we are lucky at least we are still both working.
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Re: If you are wanting to come down...
Some of the hotels are offering great rates with flexible dates for future travel to generate enough cash to keep operating now so if you plan on going down later this year or next look into booking now. By booking now you will get a discount and also help the economy weather the current situation.
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Re: If you are wanting to come down...
Rob, what you say is so true and also makes me very sad. For years we have always booked a couple weeks in the August time frame at LTU Gardens (formerly Catcha Gardens). It's good for us because there are a lot fewer tourists around and we can spend more time with our friends who don't have much work then. But knowing that, we bring sufficient US cash to pay for our stay and help our friends during the slow time.
Over the years like so many others on this board we've come to have a caring bond with our "little Jamaican family". I'm in New Orleans and recently had surgery, making it doubly unsafe to make a trip my wife and I have routinely made since 1983. We keep in touch locally so I know what you say is true.
We can't go this year but if you can, please do. Take cash and be generous. Don't always try to nickel and dime your way into a "great deal". In normal times "haggling" is a part of Jamaican life. But keep in mind the Jamaican you're dealing with is not trying to take advantage of you. He or she is just trying to make a living and put food on the table.
Respect
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Re: If you are wanting to come down...
I'm sorry to hear about the rude guests. This is not a time I would try & barter with people. I always try & be as generous as possible with our Jamaican friends we have come to love but would be even more so now. It's hard to understand some people. Wish I was able to come right now just so I could support certain people who come to my mind! Be generous & be kind.
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Re: If you are wanting to come down...
I love haggling. I don't do it to be cheap, I do it as sort of a game. Ill haggle someone down with aggression, and they typically give them what they were originally asking for. I feel I won the game by getting them from i.e. $18 down to $10-$11, but give them the $18 so everyone is a winner. Providing of course I don't overpay.
I don't have much respect for $ unfortunately, and this works well for those who treat me well.
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Re: If you are wanting to come down...
Hi Rob, great post. Can you point me in the direction of where to find the great deals the hotels are having? I appreciate the help. Stay safe and well everyone!
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Re: If you are wanting to come down...
Jess, if you just use booking.com or one of the other travel sites and look for Negril hotels, you will find that hotels are listing discounted rates for the remainder of the "slow season".
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Re: If you are wanting to come down...
I would call the hotel directly - they will usually discount even further than the discounted travel site rates.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
wrtiii
Jess, if you just use booking.com or one of the other travel sites and look for Negril hotels, you will find that hotels are listing discounted rates for the remainder of the "slow season".
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Re: If you are wanting to come down...
We were looking forward to our December trip but now we have to change our plans because we had our 18 days divided between two different small resorts. Now we have to scrap that plan. With the stay in place rules and all inclusive looks like a better deal since most of them have two or three restaurants and you are not limited to just one restaurant at your small resort. Hopefully, things will change before we have to cancel or change our plans in November to keep from losing our
deposits for December
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Re: If you are wanting to come down...
Hi Rob thanks for all the great information you are providing us. I know by the time I have planned things may change. I am staying in Oct in Airbnb behind Best of the West. If they have a beach area they have access to use, can this be considered the "beach for the resort"? I have already paid for this for my cancelled trip this April. I cannot afford another place at this point. Any suggestions?
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Re: If you are wanting to come down...
Thanks for the info, both are good ideas.
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Re: If you are wanting to come down...
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Bella Bea
Hi Rob thanks for all the great information you are providing us. I know by the time I have planned things may change. I am staying in Oct in Airbnb behind Best of the West. If they have a beach area they have access to use, can this be considered the "beach for the resort"? I have already paid for this for my cancelled trip this April. I cannot afford another place at this point. Any suggestions?
You are entitled to use any of the facilities that the property has, if there is an official arrangement then that would be allowed. My only concern is that the AirBnB may not be certified. If its not, you would be in Category 4:
Category 4: Non-residents visiting Jamaica for other purposes including tourists not staying within the “resilient corridor”
The pre-testing requirement described above is applicable to persons in this category if they are residents of locations designated as high risk by the Jamaican health authorities. Persons who are not required to pre-test may be required to be tested at the airport or other designated facility, if assessed by the health authorities as high-risk based on health screening and risk assessment on arrival. For persons required to be tested for COVID-19, the test will be a RT-PCR test and a sample will be taken by oropharyngeal and nasopharyngeal swabbing. They will then await their test results under quarantine at their hotel/intended address.
Whether or not persons are required to be tested, they will be required to remain in quarantine at home for 14 days from their date of entry to Jamaica. If persons are required to be tested and their test is negative, they will be required to remain in quarantine at home for 14 days from their date of entry to Jamaica. If the test is positive, they will be isolated either at home or in a government facility as determined by the health authorities.
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The first few years my husband and I went to Negril with friends,(1999),we were told you just try and get the price down for something you want to buy. Didn't know any better. Well after our friends stopped going and we kept going,my husband and I decided if we wanted to purchase something we would ask how much they want,and that's what we pay. Done. We are small business owners. No one asks us to change our price. Nor would we even think of asking someone to change theirs either. Respect.
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Re: If you are wanting to come down...
I understand Jamaica wanting to be opening as safely as possible, but until they loosen restrictions/requirements on American tourists, it is unreasonable to expect many visitors. Hoping to see an ease on restrictions soon. I understand America has put themselves in this ridiculous position of not being allowed to travel to much of the world, but that is where we are.
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Re: If you are wanting to come down...
We like to stay at small, Jamaican-owned properties. Is there a site that would show if these smaller places are government approved during the pandemic?
Our home is in an isolated area in Canada and we have taken all necessary precautions here. We normally stay in Jamaica for 3 months, mid December to mid March. We’ve made arrangements with a friend to do our grocery shopping for the first two weeks and transport us from Montego Bay to Negril. We hope that we will be able to isolate for 14 days and then go grocery shopping wearing masks, hand sanitizing and having our temperature taken. We do most of our own cooking and cleaning. Are these reasonable expectations during the current COVID-19 restrictions?
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Re: If you are wanting to come down...
The government approved properties, large and small can be found here:
https://www.visitjamaica.com/travelauthorization/
Scroll down near the bottom.
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Re: If you are wanting to come down...
Negril is a Paradise for for all to Explore and Enjoy. COVID 19 is an obstacle we all must venture through based on our trust, education and and personal experiences. If you choose to experience this Utopia and stay at a smaller/boutique property, please try and book with them directly. The commissions from the booking sites take a major bite out of their Net . I understand saving money, but if you are going to the place you already love or are going to fall in love with for the 1st time, please don't be a Cheapskate. If the Corridor is open to you, spend cash at a Jerk Barrel, hit up the local bars (not Commercially Know) , hire a driver to take you to somewhere different. There are no Better People in the World. Enjoy, Be Safe, Spread your Love and whatever Cash you can on the Great People who need it Most.
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Thanks Rob, I’ll keep checking the sight, hoping our booked accommodations will show up on the list.
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Re: If you are wanting to come down...
Just over two months until our trip, but I don't see our hotel (Legends), or our transportation (Rockies) on the approved list.
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Re: If you are wanting to come down...
Quote:
Originally Posted by
phineasfreakears
Just over two months until our trip, but I don't see our hotel (Legends), or our transportation (Rockies) on the approved list.
I brought that very thing up to Rocky and was told that they are Covid compliant; but, being on that list is not mandatory. I suggested to them that people are going to be looking at the providers on that list for transportation and Rocky's is not among the providers listed. We will see.
I don't know about Legends.
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Re: If you are wanting to come down...
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Weathermon & Mi Lady
I brought that very thing up to Rocky and was told that they are Covid compliant; but, being on that list is not mandatory. I suggested to them that people are going to be looking at the providers on that list for transportation and Rocky's is not among the providers listed. We will see.
I don't know about Legends.
With my provider where I am staying, I asked the same question and they said they are compliant and also not on that list. They said they would provide me with all the relative information needed at Sangsters before I arrive. I suggest you do the same for Legends just to be safe.
JMO
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1 Attachment(s)
Re: If you are wanting to come down...
It's a pleasure to hear from you. All is well. I have been getting numerous concerns regarding being listed on the visitjamaica.com site.
Rocky's Taxi and Tours is registered under JUTA Lucea in the name Roxroy Lawrence. I did my certification and Covid training classes at Rayon Hotel. My uniform looks like that of JUTA so they have me as a JUTA member, I should have signed as Rocky's Tours. All JUTA drivers are COVID certified as displayed on the visitjamaica.com site. Some businesses chose to get their own certification so as to be listed separately but the JUTA certification covers all JUTA drivers. MY business is registered as Roxroy Lawrence trading as Rocky's Tours. We are Covid19 certified, no worries mon see you soon.
Attachment 55242
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Re: If you are wanting to come down...
Thanks for the info Rocky!!
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Re: If you are wanting to come down...
Sent a message to Legends, expressing my concerns about them not being on the compliant list, here is their reply:
"Hello Terrence,
We have been working with our local health authorities to achieve our
Covid-19 compliance certification. We expect to be on that list of certified resorts before November 2020. At worst, we will suggest
certified resorts for you to be re-located but, we prefer if you can stay with us as planned. A lot is left to happen in the next sixty days so
please just take matters a week at a time and stay safe. Feel free to
check back with us in October and hopefully, we will publish our re-open date by then."
I agree that many things will be changed by then, hopefully for the better, time will tell.
It seems the resorts that are taking future reservations without yet being certified compliant are betting on a come, I hope it works out, for us and for them.
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We have been using the same driver for years and hope to see hm in February. We have just prepaid our airport transfer and some other incidentals via Western Union. He needs the money more now that he will in February (we hope). We will give a hand when we can.
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Re: If you are wanting to come down...
Quote:
Originally Posted by
tahrheel
We have been using the same driver for years and hope to see hm in February. We have just prepaid our airport transfer and some other incidentals via Western Union. He needs the money more now that he will in February (we hope). We will give a hand when we can.
That's just wonderful ❣️
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Re: If you are wanting to come down...
Quote:
Originally Posted by
JohnNYC
I love haggling. I don't do it to be cheap, I do it as sort of a game. Ill haggle someone down with aggression, and they typically give them what they were originally asking for. I feel I won the game by getting them from i.e. $18 down to $10-$11, but give them the $18 so everyone is a winner. Providing of course I don't overpay.
I don't have much respect for $ unfortunately, and this works well for those who treat me well.
How sad for you.
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Re: If you are wanting to come down...
Quote:
Originally Posted by
EdmontonGuy
How sad for you.
I do the same as John, don't see anything wrong with it.
One time I was on the beach, first trip overseas. Did not bring a beach towel as I planned on buying one there. Guy said $15, I said $10, he said deal. I was so proud of myself, look at me, haggling with the best of them. Five minutes later same vendor, same towel, was sold to a girl five feet from me for $5. Vendor looked at me and smiled...
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Re: If you are wanting to come down...
Quote:
Originally Posted by
TuffGong
I do the same as John, don't see anything wrong with it.
One time I was on the beach, first trip overseas. Did not bring a beach towel as I planned on buying one there. Guy said $15, I said $10, he said deal. I was so proud of myself, look at me, haggling with the best of them. Five minutes later same vendor, same towel, was sold to a girl five feet from me for $5. Vendor looked at me and smiled...
How sad for the girl 5 feet from you.
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Re: If you are wanting to come down...
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Rob
We all know that the borders are open because Jamaica needs to keep the economy going. The government would have never done that if it was not in every Jamaicans best interest. They are keeping the protocols flexible in order to keep everyone safe from Covid which is posing problems and issues for our visitors. We appreciate your patience and understanding.
Because of the complete closure of the tourism industry in March, which accounts for approximately 20% of the foreign exchange and the declining remittances (16%), the foreign exchange being held by the Bank of Jamaica has dropped to the point that the Jamaican dollar is at its lowest value in history. With the current bank rate at J$150 to US$1, this is creating a desperate situation for the entire country.
Since Jamaica relies on imports, especially for oil and food stuffs, the price of everything is going up substantially. Things will only get worse unless we can increase our foreign exchange. Which is where you come in.
If you are wanting to come down, please do. Stay at the smaller resorts that are offering some great incentives right now. Feel free to tip in cash, while bringing down gifts are nice, everyone needs foreign currency at the moment much more than perfumes or shoes. That will be the only way to stop the slide of Jamaican dollar.
Unfortunately we're getting tourists here that are being quite demanding. A recent example was demanding discounts on everything, not tipping, even refusing to pay the service charges and taxes on the bills. With the local economy being what it is, please don't nickle and dime everything. If you can afford to come here now, we need your support, not to be taken advantage of at every opportunity.
So please, if you are wanting to come down, we are welcoming you! We need your support now more than ever.
Hi Rob, I'm a newcomer to the forum, but long-time visitor to Jamaica. We're heading to Negril tomorrow and curious if the beaches are still closed and I read your post about the corridor being reopened. What area does that include. We're staying at Catcha Falling Star, next to Rick's and wanted to find out if we'll be able to leave the property to go out to dinner, or are we mandated to stay at the resort. So happy I found your forum and look forward to your response. Stephanie Inge - Dallas, TX
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Re: If you are wanting to come down...
Quote:
Originally Posted by
stephintexas
Hi Rob, I'm a newcomer to the forum, but long-time visitor to Jamaica. We're heading to Negril tomorrow and curious if the beaches are still closed and I read your post about the corridor being reopened. What area does that include. We're staying at Catcha Falling Star, next to Rick's and wanted to find out if we'll be able to leave the property to go out to dinner, or are we mandated to stay at the resort. So happy I found your forum and look forward to your response. Stephanie Inge - Dallas, TX
Great to have you join us! The Long Bay Beach is open, just the Norman Manley Beach Park is closed. It is the beach area by the community centre and craft market.
You are allowed to leave the resort and visit Covid Resilient certified properties. Within the last hour the JTB website has added their attractions listing, more places are added all the time so keep checking the listing.
Scroll down near the bottom for listing.
https://www.visitjamaica.com/travelauthorization/
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Re: If you are wanting to come down...
Rob, thanks so much for the warm welcome!! I appreciate the information and update on current state of COVID-19 in Negril
Hope we don't get rain all day every day while we're there. Crossing my fingers!
Kindest regards,
Stepanie Inge
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Re: If you are wanting to come down...
Stephintexas....
It's not an easy decision to travel right now...but it wasn't an easy decision for Jamaica to open her borders either.
Jamaica is doing the best they can & so far have done an incredible job keeping their tourism areas very low in the number of Covid cases.
You're going to have a beautiful vacation (albeit a bit quiet)...and you'll be spoiled rotten with the excitement everyone offers you....thankful someone is there helping out the economy a wee bit...❣️
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Re: If you are wanting to come down...
So Rob,
There are some hotels on the 'Hotel List' that I like to visit for their restaurant or Bar (Like Coco La Palm, LTU... etc) but they're not on the 'Attraction list'. Can I technically still visit them for a meal or happy hour? (Unfortunately, some favs like Alfreds or Roots are on neither list).
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Re: If you are wanting to come down...
Good question. Since the JTB website states "Only businesses within the Corridor that have been trained and assessed for adherence to COVID-19 protocols are allowed to open to tourists.", this would seem to imply yes.
The current listing for Attractions are the Covid trained and certified ones. I think this might be the original list because I don't see some properties that were on the previous updated list before it was removed. They may be using the list that was "backed up ".
Look for more places to be added.
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Re: If you are wanting to come down...
Quote:
Originally Posted by
JohnNYC
I love haggling. I don't do it to be cheap, I do it as sort of a game. Ill haggle someone down with aggression, and they typically give them what they were originally asking for. I feel I won the game by getting them from i.e. $18 down to $10-$11, but give them the $18 so everyone is a winner. Providing of course I don't overpay.
I don't have much respect for $ unfortunately, and this works well for those who treat me well.
That's funny. We do this all the time for fun too. Get them down in price and then give them what they originally asked for. They usually get a laugh out of that.