Recently, I was invited by the Jamaica Tourist Board to explore the sites, sounds, and tastes of Jamaica throughout the country, including Kingston, Port Antonio, and Ocho Rios. While I didn’t know what to expect on the trip outside of seeing pristine beaches, as I’ve never been to Jamaica before, I was pleasantly surprised by what awaited me, from the rich culture, to the delicious food (I inhaled curried goat, fried dumpling, and Callaloo – highly recommend), but most importantly, I was impressed by the resilience of the people there, after experiencing Hurricane Melissa, the catastrophic tropical cyclone, which occurred in October 2025.
According to the United Nations, Jamaica, amongst other countries and territories affected by Hurricane Melissa, experienced damage and loss of between $8 billion and $15 billion. Given that Jamaica’s tourism industry and agricultural production are typically the center of its economy and a major source of employment, you can imagine the devastation.
However, the country is turning a new leaf and deepening its connection to its culture by ramping up tourism programming and remaining committed to educating the world on its layered history, multi-cultural people, and flavorful cuisine. One of the country’s recent initiatives includes the regeneration of Downtown Kingston, Jamaica’s capital and an urban hub, where executives, government officials, and creatives co-mingle.
During my trip, I learned about Kingston Creative, a small but mighty nonprofit arts organization founded in 2017 by three cofounders who believed in leveraging art and culture programming to achieve social and economic transformation. Their vision includes a safe and vibrant Art District in Downtown Kingston, a Creative Hub that develops and trains people in the long term, and a healthy creative ecosystem in Jamaica.
Before experiencing the Water Lane Mural Tour in Downtown Kingston, which highlighted the beautiful street art curated by community members and local artists, I met with Andrea Dempster Chung, Co-founder and Managing Director of Kingston Creative, to discuss the organization’s efforts to transform the area.
“Downtown used to be the epicenter of Kingston’s culture. It’s where all the music was, where all the jazz bands were, all the clubs were – Kingston was a cultural spot years ago. It’s almost hard to imagine when you look at what Downtown is now. So the regeneration of Downtown Kingston is what we’re trying to use culture to be that lever,” she said to me. “Jamaica’s culture is so powerful, so we thought, ‘Why don’t we use it to bring back our city? And that’s what Kingston Creative is about. Of course, this organization was also founded to benefit all of the artists, dancers, writers, and amazing, creative Jamaican people, because if they can uplift themselves, they uplift their communities, and Jamaica itself gets uplifted at the same time. So it’s a social project with an economic impact, and the side benefit is that Downtown looks a lot better than it does today.”
Chung and the organization are keenly aware of Downtown Kingston’s storied reputation and are vigorously working to improve it through the arts. “We’re a nonprofit organization, and we do artistic tours, closely partnering with the Jamaica Tourist Board. We do tours to break down the stigma about downtown Kingston. I’m sure you’ve heard a lot about Downtown before you came here, not all of it positive. And so we’re breaking down some of that stigma by showing people the beauty of this old city,” she said.
Later in the trip, our tour group had the opportunity to meet and speak with the Minister of Tourism of Jamaica, Edmund Bartlett, who is focused on transforming the country’s tourism through “Tourism 3.0,” enhancing local economic retention, and strengthening regional tourism resilience – especially after Hurricane Melissa.
“After Hurricane Melissa, 152,000 houses and buildings and physical structures were damaged, destroyed, or partially disrupted, and 1.5 million people were impacted, but the resilience of the Jamaican people came to the fore, and as our friends came from overseas to help, the spirit of the Jamaican was ignited and arose,” he said triumphantly. “We have now welcomed over 1 million visitors in the six months since we reopened the country in December 2025. We are recovering now at an unprecedented rate and rebuilding with a spirit of reimagining Jamaica. You’ll be seeing a new Jamaica over the next few months.”
Bartlett assured the group of journalists that Jamaica is currently prioritizing the safety of all its residents and visitors. “Jamaica is developing a concept around destination assurance, which is a promise of a safe, secure, and seamless experience in the country. People talk about destination management but never about destination assurance, and that’s the promise that we make to our guests of a safe, secure, and seamless experience in Jamaica, and we’re doing that because we are conscious of the fact that our people have hospitality in their DNA,” he stated.
Here are some must-see sites to visit during your stay in Jamaica (all photos provided by Dominique Fluker):
Tuff Gong Studio in Kingston: Founded by the world-renowned reggae artist Bob Marley, it is one of the largest audio recording facilities in the Caribbean and boasts an inspiring atmosphere that sparks creativity. While there, I had the opportunity to record my own version of Marley’s “Everything’s Gonna Be Alright.”
Bob Marley Museum in Kingston: The Bob Marley Museum, located at 56 Hope Road in Kingston, Jamaica, is the artist’s former home and recording studio, which his wife, Rita Marley, and family converted into a museum in 1986. It features the artist and family’s personal artifacts, interactive exhibits, a theatre, and the One Love Café.
Strawberry Hill Jamaica Luxury Resort: During our trip, we grabbed lunch at the scenic, luxurious Strawberry Hill Jamaica Luxury Resort, nestled in the Blue Mountains, where we enjoyed sweeping views and a delectable menu.
Maroon Village in Charles Town: While traveling to Port Antonio, Jamaica, we stopped in Charles Town to learn more about the Maroons – African people who escaped enslavement and created their own free communities in remote, hilly parts of the island. We received a generous tour of the Charles Town Maroon Museum, where we learned about their cultural origins, principles, and practices. Then we engaged in a drum-and-dance circle after the presentation and lunch.
Green Grotto Caves Tour in Discovery Bay, St. Ann: I appreciated the historical nature of this tour, from highlighting Taino (Spanish settlers) ancestry to learning about enslaved Africans and runaway slaves who sought refuge amongst the caves. The tour was informational and visually cool.
Dominique B. Fluker is an award-winning multimedia journalist, television personality, editor, and speaker based in Los Angeles. She is an entertainment contributor at ForbesWomen, an on-air lifestyle contributor at KTLA News, and a speaker with AAE Speakers Bureau. Her work has appeared in ESSENCE, Glamour, Travel + Leisure, Business Insider, Women’s Health, and Variety. Fluker has interviewed icons including Oprah Winfrey, Toni Braxton, Colman Domingo, Tracee Ellis Ross, Robin Roberts, and Serena Williams. A USC graduate, she was a Charlotta Bass Fellow and Cowan Scholar and has received honors for her work in journalism, mental health, and entertainment reporting.
