In our April 11 issue, Tribune travel columnist Alfred Borcover reported on steps Jamaica is taking to combat harassment of tourists, and we asked readers to tell us about their experiences. Here are some of your responses.
EXPLOITATION BLAMED
OAK PARK — My husband and I returned from a week stay (April 12-19) at the all-inclusive Trelawny Resort about 40 miles from Montego Bay — and felt quite safe despite a brewing taxi driver/labor riot just down the road. In our experiences traveling in the West Indies (St. Lucia, Barbados, Antigua) the resorts are usually protected bubbles which offer the safety and lifestyle standards which American and European expect on holiday. At Trelawny, low-key guards kept the handful of “hasslers” off the hotel’s grounds around the clock. I honestly felt more secure on the private beach at 10:30 at night than I do running to the grocery store in Oak Park at 8 p.m. In Chicago, you can’t just drive anywhere at any hour just because you want to “explore” a new neighborhood.
The hotel also sanctioned a cluster of bamboo huts just past the private beach where mostly older women sold their hats, T-shirts, key chains etc. As for the Rasta-like guys selling pot at the resort’s property fence: supply and demand seemed to be mechanism at work. We politely walked right by, but there definitely were guests who seemed to like the convenience of buying ganja at the edge of the beach, smoking their “Bob Marley” joints and then going back to the bar to party. In a sense, this situation was much safer than guests needing to go outside the all-inclusive to buy pot.
In all, I find all-inclusives to be quite safe if you really just want a clean beach, nice meals and some recreation to amuse yourself between pina coladas and “Dirty Bananas” (Tia Maria, rum & banana liqueur).
But what’s wrong here? A lot. I imagine that many of these all-inclusives are foreign-owned companies. Why should Jamaicans embrace companies who put fences up on the country’s beautiful beaches for the enjoyment of affluent Europeans and Americans? I doubt that the people of Jamaica are benefiting substantially from most of the tourism jobs created since the cooks and entertainment crew makes between $25 to $50 a week (according to some staff we chatted with). I personally felt uncomfortable being around that kind of labor exploitation.
It also seemed that in these resort areas, Jamaicans are treated like second-class citizens in their own town. The tourists get the best part of the beach — which is neatly raked by the grounds crew to keep the sand free of seaweed. The tourists have the sailboats, kayaks, windsurfing boards, the taxi transportation to take us on excursions around the island. What is being given back to the citizens of Jamaica? Where are their parks and recreation? Where is all of that $1.2 billion tourism money going? It is my opinion that this is why there are hasslers and beggars: They are exploiting the fact that people with money like to visit their naturally beautiful country. If they can’t make a decent living off of tourism, why not hit up the tourists directly?
The annoyance of travelers being solicited to buy tacky wood carvings and pot is not nearly as serious as maids and waitresses working 40 and 50 hours a week for chump change just so the rest of us can have a lovely — and relatively inexpensive — vacation. Is it any wonder that there are bad feelings toward tourists?
— Jane Burek
LIKE A 2ND HOME
LAKE VILLA — My wife and I have been going to Jamaica for the past eight years and have booked a return again on June 6 for a week’s stay at the Enchanted Gardens in Ocho Rios, where we will celebrate our 30th wedding anniversary. Over the years we have seen nothing but vast improvement. In the early years we did experience some minor problems with street vendors; however, one only needs to say “no, thank you.” Never say “maybe” or “I’ll think about it” since this leaves the door open in the mind of the vendor.
If the vendor has the idea that you are remotely interested in their wares, they will follow you for blocks. The vendors in the local straw markets all want you to come into their little shop to “take a look man, no problem, just take a minute to look.” Over the past eight years I have been approached only three times to buy some marijuana, twice on the streets and once less than 30 minutes after arrival at the airport.
We have stayed at the Sandals Inn, Jamaica Grande, Enchanted Gardens and the former Sea Wind. In the past we have taken our children and a few years ago we took our 7-year-old granddaughter with us for a stay at the Jamaica Grande. The Grande is a great place for families. Over the years we have never experienced any problems.
Common sense is important in Jamaica just as it is in the United States. I know that Apple Vacations has its representatives at each property in Jamaica where they have clients staying. It is very important to attend the welcome briefings since this is where you will get the latest information on the do’s and don’ts. Follow the advice of the representatives because they know the current situation and offer good tips. (I will never go back to Kingston since it is dirty, congested and rather deprived.)
Never use a taxi unless it has red/white plates since these are the only government-recognized taxis. Never accept an offer for a “private” tour of the countryside from a local because you are just setting yourself up for a potential bad situation.
Jamaica and all the locals are well aware of the importance of tourism to their beautiful country and will do whatever it takes to protect such a valuable industry. We have seen an increase in security on the streets during the past few years. The word is out — don’t bother or mess with the tourist! Jamaica is great or we would not continue to visit our home away from home.
— Frank & Jeanette Phillips
HE WON’T GO BACK . . .
CHICAGO — I went to Jamaica for the first time in February for five days with my brother Chris. We are both fairly easygoing sorts, and we were amazed at the amount of constant hard selling and panhandling from nearly everyone we met.
Everyone it seemed was selling something or scamming! My brother and I just wanted to be left alone in peace to enjoy our vacation. We enjoyed Negril and met a lot of very friendly people. But we also met a lot of drunken locals carrying guns who wanted to beat us up over women, sell us illegal drugs, or rip us off on taxi fares. I felt a great deal of hostility while in Negril from many of the locals and always felt on guard, especially while walking the beach at night. The poverty on the island can be overwhelming.
Thank God I didn’t make plans to go to Kingston — it would probably have put me over the edge.
I doubt I will return. I am a fairly seasoned traveler and I would rather spend my money on going to a place where my presence will be appreciated, not barely tolerated. Next year, Costa Rica!
— K. Krady
. . . BUT THEY WILL
NAPERVILLE — I read your article on Jamaica with great interest and agree with most of what you say. I have been to Jamaica about 10 times, beginning in 1981 and as recently as two weeks at Christmas and New Year’s.
We have experienced everything from Montego Bay during Sunsplash (you haven’t experienced harassment until you have experienced that — no private beaches and every hustler on the island), being holed up in all inclusives for several visits to Negril in the mid-’80s and, most recently, enjoying a small hotel in the heart of Ocho Rios. We have sailed from Antigua to Grenada on various occasions as well as the BVI, so we have some ability to compare the islands. I agree with your article that the cruise ship passengers get the brunt of the harassment and are the most able to spread bad vibes about Jamaica. Our experiences in recent years in Ocho Rios have been wonderful.
Once the town folk know that we are not from the cruise ship, we rarely get bothered, make friends and even were invited to Christmas dinner by the woman we tried to get a rental car from! (No cars were to be found during the holidays.) The staff at the Silver Seas greets us with hugs and smiles even after not seeing us for two years. Staying in an all-inclusive robs one of experiencing the beauty of the island, trying its wonderful cuisine and meeting its people.
One must be careful and street smart anywhere they travel, especially being a tourist, and I have been pickpocketed most in my own Chicago! We will “Make it Jamaica again” as one of their slogans suggests. Bad things happen everywhere, and the stats of crime going down should further encourage those to visit. We have rented a car and hit the hills and actually had better experiences there where you meet real people and not those trying to hustle tourists.
— Inga Scheckel
NO SURLY JAMAICANS . . .
ZION — I am always disappointed when I read travel articles citing the dangers of travel in Jamaica. Warnings that say not to leave valuables unattended seem ridiculous. You wouldn’t leave valuables unattended in the States so why would you do it in a foreign country? I have been traveling to Jamaica since 1991, occasionally twice a year. I am a single, middle-aged female, and the first three times I went with a girlfriend — twice to Ocho and once to Montego.
The first trip was definitely culture shock as I had never traveled out of the U.S. and was not prepared for the poverty seen between the airport and hotel. I soon found the people to be friendly and interesting.
Half of the fun of traveling is talking to and learning about people who have a different culture than my own. I was a little put off by the hawkers at first but soon found that even if I wasn’t buying I could still have an interesting conversation with most of these people, always learning some interesting bit of info about the country and people. In the evening my girlfriend and I walked through town to some of the local nightclubs and no one bothered or accosted us. I liked it so much I returned to the same place the following year.
The third trip we went to Montego, which I like the least of any place I have visited. However, we wanted to see the town so we hired a taxi driver on a Sunday. We thought he would just drop us off, but he said he was afraid we would get into the wrong areas by ourselves and so he stayed with us all afternoon, often warning off hawkers that he considered of an undesirable nature. Then he brought us back to the hotel, all for the standard taxi fare. By now I had learned the trick of negotiating price prior to receiving services, and I know he did not take advantage of us.
We hired the same driver for an all-day outing to Negril and he took us to some nice local spots which we otherwise would not have visited. He was an older family man and told us a lot about the culture and country.
After my first few trips, other couples from my office started joining us on our trips and have also turned into repeat travelers to Jamaica.
My observations: Don’t be put off by the Rastas or “dreadlocks” in Jamaica. If they happen to be true Rastafarians, they are peaceful and friendly, not dangerous. I don’t recommend going to the local bars and leaving with an unfamiliar local you might meet there in order to purchase something he has elsewhere. This is usually where a tourist will get into trouble. You would not do that at home, so why do it in a strange country?
I have yet to meet a surly Jamaican. They can find something positive in even the most negative situation.
I feel sorry for any tourist who travels to a resort and never leaves it to see the countryside and talk to the people. They are missing the best part of Jamaica. If all you want is a nice beach and a fancy hotel, you can get that in southern Florida.
Driving is dangerous, although I have talked to many tourists who have rented cars and toured the island on their own successfully. The taxi and other drivers are crazy, but they are used to it.
I have found that people either love Jamaica or they hate it. There is not much middle ground. Regarding the experience (of the couple mentioned in the April 11 article): They must have liked Jamaica to return five times. Why let one bad experience overshadow all the good ones they must have had there?
— Roberta Riley
. . . SOME SURLY JAMAICANS
ST. CHARLES — My boyfriend and I went to Runaway Bay, Jamaica, last April (1998). It was the first trip out of the United States for both of us. We expected Jamaica to be a tropical paradise like we had seen on the TV commercials. Were we disappointed!
Our first bad experience was at immigration, where we were herded into a room to be processed. It was hot and stuffy and took us over an hour to get through. Then the van ride to our resort through the poverty-stricken Jamaican countryside was hair-raising and treacherous, to say the least. When we got to the resort, it was not quite as we had expected. It was acceptable, but I did not feel it lived up to the 5-out-of-6 rating it had received.
For the most part the employees were friendly, especially our bartender, although we did run into a few who were pretty surly. We didn’t know we could use U.S. dollars there so we made an exchange at the hotel, and of course got taken in the process. We took a trip to Dunn’s River Falls, which we just hoped we would escape from without any broken bones. I think our guide was on a mission to teach us a lesson because our climb seemed like Marine boot camp.
After our climb we went to the craft market and were harassed into buying T-shirts that weren’t even made in Jamaica. Talk about high-pressure sales! Anyway, when we got back to the hotel we found that the toilets were not working and continued not to work for the rest of the day.
This is just a sample of the reasons that I will never go back to Jamaica. With all the beautiful places in the world, there’s got to be an island somewhere that’s clean, safe, and can keep its people under control as well.
— Julie Miller
26 VISITS
BROOKFIELD, Wis. — My wife and I are frequent travelers to Jamaica, 26 trips to date. We have stayed at resorts from Port Antonio to Negril — all without incident.
The Jamaican people are a refreshingly good-natured people, and most would accommodate you in any manner within their means. Crime is heavily deterred with stiff penalties and terrible jail conditions. The Jamaicans themselves help to curb crime so as not to damage their most valuable commodity — tourism.
— Tom Finn
THEY’LL KEEP RETURNING
ORLAND PARK — My wife and I travel to Jamaica two to three times per year. We have stayed at The Grand-Lido Negril nine times, the Negril Inn twice, Wyndham Rose Hall and Jack Tarr Village in Montego Bay and Boscobel Beach in Ocho Rios. As you can see, we love Jamaica. The all-inclusive concept is the way to go. Service and choices of food and restaurants is plentiful in all of these resorts. The staff, from porters to front office, go out of their way to make our stay special each and every time we visit. The markets are fun, and the weather can’t be beat.
Like traveling anywhere out of your own turf, one must always use a little common sense and not wander off alone. When we’ve been approached for buying things we don’t use, we tell the vendor that’s not our style or “no, thank you” and they move onto someone else where they can make money.
As you can see, we love Jamaica and will continue to vacation at this beautiful island.
— Kurt & Beverly Nelson
NO COMPLAINTS
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich.– (Like the couple quoted in the April 11 story), we, too, have traveled extensively and we have received the best customer service in the world at Grand Lido Braco Resort. The staff was always friendly, polite, attentive and most enjoyable in every way. We took our second trip there in February of this year and found it to be even better than when we were there two years ago. We did not have one bad experience with any of the many staff there.
How anyone could complain or not like this resort boggles the mind.
True, the rest of Jamaica (outside the resorts) is a bit rough around the edges, but you are in a Third-World country. If you don’t want to experience different cultures, stay home! Some of the people trying to sell their trinkets do come on rather strong, but just ignore them and they eventually leave you alone. We have been to Jamaica several times and have never felt scared or unsafe. Obviously it’s not the kind of country where you want to walk around alone at night, but, hey, neither is New York City or parts of downtown Chicago.
— Susan and Dennis Potter
THINGS ARE CHANGING
EVANSTON — I am a Jamaican-born who has been back home at least six times since my parents decided to move to Chicago. I visited Jamaica last December and, though problems still exist, I did see some improvement and a lot of effort for change. Looking very much like a tourist, with video camera in tow, I walked through the craft market in Ocho Rios. I was not harassed as I had been in past years. I also noticed that the streets were cleaner, the black market currency exchangers were gone, and the street patrollers in blue were very helpful and visible.
It’s all about the individual’s expectations and preparations. Many countries have three things in common: poverty, crime and inadequate customer service. I’ve been “bothered” by street/train vendors and the homeless begging for money in downtown Chicago. I’ve also had numerous problems with customer service in stores and restaurants (here). Yes, crime is in Jamaica, but let’s not forget all the recent troubles right here in the good ol’ United States.
I think the key in traveling anywhere is remembering not to get so relaxed that you forget to take precautions and follow safety guidelines.
— Avery Wilson-Dixon
JUST LIKE HOME
LOMBARD — My first visit to the island was in 1982 with my husband. We returned the following year. Our itinerary was Negril to Port Antonio via car. I still have to say that has been my best vacation ever. The sights, the people, the charm — it was all overwhelming. A wonderful, 15-year-old boy was our guide to the Blue Lagoon and to the area — Reach Falls — where no tourists go. His name was Jefton Johnson, and I was so charmed that I informed him I was pregnant and, should I have a boy, he would be named Jefton.
My son Jefton is now 15 years old.
(After several more trips) I went back this year for a 10-day visit with a friend to Beachcomber Club in Negril. And needless to say, we encountered the friendliest of people. The only disturbing event was that the owner of Risky Business used false advertisement to get patrons to stop by his establishment.
As far as the hagglers on the beach and in the market place, if you are not mean or standoffish to them, they will not be to you. As the Jamaicans say, “Respect, everyday, everyone.” A smile and a sense of humor goes a very long way.
To never venture to this incredible land and experience the sunsets, people, spices and day-to-day life would most certainly be a shame. I plan to return next February, and my dream would be to live my later years out there. When my foot steps off the plane, I truly feel as though I am home!
— Diane McCallister
