Over the years, the resort town of Ocho Rios, St Ann, has won several tourism-related international awards, but there is always a special feeling when the award comes from your peers.

Last week, at its annual awards ceremony, Hospitality Jamaica presented the Best Resort Town Award to Ocho Rios, reflecting the town’s upward trajectory over the past few years.

Blessed with natural beauty, Ocho Rios has been enhanced with the development of several world-renowned attractions over the years that have seen arrivals to the town increase annually.

For Michael Belnavis and Vana Taylor, who collected the award on behalf of the resort town, the recognition is also reflective of the improvement work done in the town in recent years.

Belnavis wears many hats, being the chairman of the Jamaica Cruise Council, councillor of the Ocho Rios division and mayor of St Ann’s Bay. The award is reflective of a new era for Ocho Rios.

“It’s really a big thing, I don’t think they’ve awarded us before,” Belnavis said. “The work we’ve been doing in the town in terms of cleaning up, the planting of trees and flowers and foliage, and erection of signage, is reflective of a whole new era,” he added.

Belnavis hailed the decreased crime rate in the resort town and noted the increase in cruise ship arrivals.

“It’s wonderful, splendid. It’s amazing that we won the award,” Taylor reacted.

The St Ann Chamber of Commerce president and Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA) area chair also acknowledged that a lot of work has gone into Ocho Rios in recent times.

“We must commend the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF) for all the money they have poured into Ocho Rios over the years – Turtle River Road, the promenade. Main Street still has issues and needs to be completed, but they’ve pumped in a lot of money. Port Authority has also done a lot of work with the fishing village, the Reynolds’ Pier,” Taylor said.

She also commended the businesses in Ocho Rios, the JHTA members, hotels, attractions, the municipal corporation, NWA [National Works Agency], and other agencies working in St Ann.

“It’s a collective effort,” Taylor noted.

“So we’re really excited. We have a lot more work to do, but I think [that] working together as a team, we can continue to win more.”