Since the island’s official reopening on Dec. 15 after Hurricane Melissa tore through Jamaica last October, 500,000 visitors have arrived.

But even though tourism has returned, the people known for their welcoming spirit can’t be forgotten, said Jacki Marks, the global head of trade brands for ALG Vacations.

That’s why the company, one of the largest Jamaica vacation packagers, organized a fam trip for travel advisors to give back through donations and volunteering.

Advisors paid $199 to attend, or $449 that included a charter flight from Milwaukee. They brought approximately 300 suitcases with 18,000 pounds of donations.

“It’s so important to take care of the people because these are the people who take care of our customers,” Marks said.

Given ALG Vacations’ influence on Jamaica tourism, Marks said it was important for advisors to visit the destination, not only to lend a hand but to see Jamaica’s progress in person, so they can communicate to customers that the island is open for business.

Getting our hands dirty

During the five-day trip, two days were earmarked for volunteering. On the first volunteer day, I joined advisors at Catherine Hall Primary School, which serves more than 1,000 students. The school Notewas one of the island’s hardest-hit schools.

Armed with gallons of bright-orange paint, we spent our morning repainting the outdoor balconies and gates, removing the signs of muck left behind by the hurricane.

Catherine Hall principal Kay-Esther Malcolm said the efforts were welcome and appreciated, adding that the hurricane took an emotional toll on students, many of whom lost their homes and possessions.

Being able to return to school provided children a sense of normalcy and needed structure.

“It means a lot,” she said. “To know that people are reaching out to us and in such a way, to take their time and to give of themselves, was absolutely marvelous, and we are so grateful.”

We spent our second volunteer day painting classrooms and offices at Cornwall College, a boy’s school that serves close to 1,500 students. Hurricane Melissa ripped the roof off the seventh-grade building and flooded classrooms, shuttering the school for weeks. Many students lost all their possessions.

“I think sometimes when we have devastation in our destinations, when you see people traveling, you think everything is back to normal,” Marks said. “We have to remember that outside of these beautiful walls of the resort, there’s a whole community that’s going to need more than a couple months to rebuild their homes and to rebuild their neighborhoods.”

Syreeta Grose, owner of Grose Travel Services Meetings and Events in Upper Darby, Pa., has attended ALG Vacations’ volunteer fams since 2018. She said she was drawn to the Jamaica trip to support the locals who make tourism possible.

“This is our livelihood, and without the people in these countries, we wouldn’t be who we are,” she said. “They make sure that we’re good, and they make sure that our clients are good, and we need to make sure that they’re good.”

For Heather McMahon of Sunny Days Getaways in Port Monmouth, N.J., aiding in hurricane recovery felt personal.

McMahon, for whom Jamaica was an introduction to the Caribbean, said her home was damaged by Superstorm Sandy in 2012. Thanks to the efforts of volunteers, she had help cleaning up the debris and damage brought by the storm.

“For me to give back to somebody in need is very fulfilling,” she said. “I’m just so happy to be here to help.”