Negril needs your opinion...

[rooster]

I keep coming back here for 22 years now for many reasons..the absence of any building over 3 floors is one...it's not broke..therefore there's nothing to fix. My girlfriend came here with me this year..she was last here 20 years ago at the Point Village & her first comment was she was so glad Negril hasn't done what Cabo San Lucas did with her time share did...wrecked her 2 story quaint building & built a monster resort with many to follow..she now wants to sell it & spend that time here...need I same more?

[Accompong]

I keep coming back here for 22 years now for many reasons..the absence of any building over 3 floors is one...it's not broke..therefore there's nothing to fix. My girlfriend came here with me this year..she was last here 20 years ago at the Point Village & her first comment was she was so glad Negril hasn't done what Cabo San Lucas did with her time share did...wrecked her 2 story quaint building & built a monster resort with many to follow..she now wants to sell it & spend that time here...need I same more?

"It's not broke .. therefore there's nothing to fix" Well, from your prospective that may be true but. after all, you just visit and don't have to pay to own and run a property in Negril. I would like to see some of the property owners respond to this thread and hear from them that there is nothing to fix. The ones I know have complained to me for a number of years about the situation.

And after your girlfriend sells her Cabo San Lucas timeshare and then comes to Jamaica, where is she going to go? To Point Village? How long do you think it will be until more HEDOs and new developers render Point Village into a foreign-owned monster resort? Will she just go find another place in a less developed area only to move again when that gets developed? I appreciate your feelings for Negril. The Negril you have come to love for many reasons over the past 22 years but the reality is THAT Negril is going.... going..... and soon to be gone.

... need I same [sic] more?

Peace and Guidance

[rosalie]

No No No! I spend a lot (way too much) time daydreaming about Caribbean travel. Especially since my "favorite" hotel is often seeming on the verge of extinction, or at the least, not having electricity when I get there (!) But every time I look for another paradise, I am hit with the photos of the huge sprawling skyscraper hotels, and that is so not what i want. The only place I have found, within reasonable travel distance from US for us, is Negril. It is perfect the way it is. And it is unique because of how it is. There are other beautiful remote spots, but they are truly remote - and don't have the beach life and spirit of Negril, just the beauty.

It's one of a kind, and it appeals to all of us. I suspect the clientele Negril now enjoys would find themselves trying other places if Negril no longer was unique and special.

Totally agree with you

[rosalie]

My wife and I have vacationed in Negril for the past five winters. We are not returning next year due to the planned breakwater construction. We are booked for St. John instead. If the new development comes to Negril we will not return again because that will ruin the charm that makes Negril so attractive in get first place. I do not believe "growth is inevitable." That is a choice. And, considering climate change and sea-level rise, the kind of "growth" now envisioned for Negril is insane. Negril can barely handle the amount of development it already has.

I think Jamaica is killing its golden goose for a few extra eggs. Just my opinion, of course.

I agree it can hardly handle the growth now. They can't get a sidewalk right and they want to build 10 story buildings???

[Packrat]

Change & Growth are inevitable and anyone not willing to adopt that philosophy will be left behind, but let's not confuse the issue. There is a difference between reckless growth and sustainable leadership. Negril needs and deserves the later. Never under estimate the Law of Diminishing Returns. There is only so much room on the Negril's narrow Beaches (& roads) for people to enjoy, along with sewer & water capabilities and electrical grid restrictions. Loading it up with substantially more people from mega resorts will actually reduce the enjoyment of the masses and in turn reduce their chances of returning &/or giving positive recommendations of the area. Encroaching the high water mark of less than 150 feet is just plain irresponsible. Not enforcing current Development Orders just goes to show how little respect investors really have for the long term benefits of Negril. Like many, we have chosen Negril as our destination of choice for the environment, charms and services it has to offer. Most of those charms have remained over the years and many services have gotten much better but there is a tipping point (diminished returns).

When one speaks of the Jamaican-owned hotel operators competing with the large corporations, I'm sorry, but history speaks differently. Here in the US, WallyMart itself is responsible for the massive loss of locally owned business's in almost every community they have built in. Just look at Negril itself, What percentage of AI guests spend money in the local community? Yes, many find their way on a Property owned bus to Rick's, but how many have made it to the Red Dragon? LTU? or had dinner standing by a Jerk Barrel? How many of those guests supported a local taxi driver to take them to Cosmos, Roots Bamboo or the Canoe Bar? How many support the local shops offering, soda, juice, beer and snacks? as a gambling man, I would say the percentage is VERY LOW & the meager wages made by the hotel workers can't replace the travelers spending. The more Mega hotels there are in Negril, the greater the loss of charm that drive so many of us to the community, the more of us who choose a different destination (Jamaica or not), the less cash is spread to the individual businesses in the community, pure and simple economics. It is not the number of people who arrive at a destination that make it function, it is the amount dollars spent IN the economy that drive it. I will only use myself as an example. When in Negril, I stay at a locally owned home for $2450 a week, there is a full time staff of 3 whom I tip a total of $300 upon departure. We buy the vast majority of our food and drink at local stores, I rent either a scooter or car for the week in Negril, not the airport. We eat out a minimum of once per day and see shows and drink at local establishments almost daily. On our trips to Negril, we put roughly $5000 a week directly into the local economy, how much does a $5000 a week stay at Sandals, Couples, Swept Away put into the pockets of the Negril residents?

Negril must grow and evolve, but it should not do it at the expense of losing many of its faithful, the hierarchy must find a common ground to support the faithful and at the same time, find ways to create sustainable growth. If we go away, they will remember our names because there will not be our type of traveler to replace us, only the Mega Tourists they never see, meet or engage in commerce. I'll get off my soapbox now

[TAH]

Hi David,

Liked your post and just wanted to add a couple of thoughts.

Well a tourist and a Jamaican look at development quite differently. A tourist wants a laid-back "no problem" visit and a Jamaican wants jobs to feed his family. The more mega-developments that get built by foreign investors, more low paying jobs will be created. I don't know the current rate of pay for a housekeeper at a mega-resort but a few years ago it was about $50 US for a week. If you allow Jamaican small business owners to increase their room offerings, they will hire more people at a little better wages and a much better working environment.

Jamaica is recording record numbers of visitors every year and the numbers continue to climb. Sad fact of life is that the new visitors are willing to pay more to stay per night and buying into the "Jamaica is not a safe place so stay in the compound" mantra propagated to keep returning visitors loyal to their brand. Profits go up and more foreign investors offer money to buy out the little guy with the small coconut tree restriction.

When you decide not to visit any longer because Negril is too developed, don't cry for Jamaica because a whole lot more people will be rushing in to fill the void your leaving created. The Cancun operators who used to get your dollars can't remember your name any longer after you quit coming and so it will be with Negril. Your friends will find new friends and (they hope) more generous friends even though you have been generous with them.

Perhaps then you will realize like CaptD and I have realized that Jamaica is bigger than Negril and still has a whole lot to offer the tourist.

Before you run away to Cuba or Puerto WhatEverTheNextInPlaceIstoVacation, widen your vision when it comes to staying in Jamaica.

Just my personal opinion.

Peace and Guidance

I don't have time to address this in detail right now, but I think your argument is very flawed. I'll come back later to respond...

[thepegboy]

I echo the sentiments of posters resistant to large-scale, vertical development, but realize that the option is horizontal sprawl; all areas of the Negril may not suffer the same constraints, so guidlines should have some flexibility. Can we say "nothing over XXX feet tall?" I think that's too limiting.
Definitely maintain beachfront clearance, and definitely keep public access to all waterfront!
As far as the 'color and form of bldgs and fences to keep amenity and design ' goes, I hope this assumes (rightly) that Negril is an ecclecticly decorated town with NO limits to design! I like the haphazard colors and materials!
Above all, maintaining the natural biota and environment are very important and should be paramount.

[Lola]

Accompong, is there proof " If you allow Jamaican small business owners to increase their room offerings, they will hire more people at a little better wages and a much better working environment." ??

[Accompong]

Yes.

Accompong, is there proof " If you allow Jamaican small business owners to increase their room offerings, they will hire more people at a little better wages and a much better working environment." ??

[goldilocks]

I believe Negril does not need any more hotel rooms, especially third and fourth floors at mega resorts. Definitely no more building on the beach! I would like to see more focus on eco-tourism and sustainable development that will not destroy the already fragile eco-systems. For me, if the sea becomes too polluted even the fanciest hotel amenities won't make up for that. I believe that Negril does not have adequate sewage treatment systems in place now, let alone when adding more rooms. I come to Jamaica for the Music, Food and Culture and have absolutely zero interest in huge resorts that imitate Cancun or Disney World.