Ocho Rios, St. Ann:

With just over six weeks to the start of the ICC Cricket World Cup, there is still no sign of the much-anticipated increased bookings for hotels and villas on the north coast.

On the contrary, hoteliers and villa operators there say businesses are hurting from the new travel restrictions imposed by the Government as part of security measures for the World Cup.

"The visa issue is adversely affecting us and several people with advance bookings have lost them since the new restriction was imposed," bemoaned Area Chairman of the Ocho Rios/Runaway Bay Chapter of the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association, Vanna Taylor.

Cancelled bookings

Ms. Taylor said several large and small groups have cancelled their bookings since the passport and visa regime was imposed, and that this problem was not confined to hotels on the north coast alone but to several others islandwide.

She added, "We don't know what can be done at this last moment but the visa issue must be dealt with as a matter of priority if we are to save some of the business."

Relatively slow

Ms. Taylor, who is also chairperson of the Jamaica Association of Villas and Apartments, said some properties are getting enquiries from potential visitors but that, overall, things are relatively slow in terms of World Cup bookings.

And one hotel, the 600-room Gran Bahía Príncipe at Pear Tree Bottom in St. Ann, was expected to host several large groups of European visitors for the World Cup, but so far these bookings have failed to materialise.

General Manager of the hotel, Fabrice Van Der Guche, said although the hotel is expecting high occupancy during the World Cup, it will not be as a result of the event.

"Well, right now we are not seeing any business from the World Cup but we are still waiting to see what will happen in the days to come," Van Der Guche said.

At the 720-room Sunset Jamaica Grande Resort in Ocho Rios, Charmaine Dean, a member of the management team, said some small groups have already confirmed their reservations and that the hotel is still expecting additional bookings.