Following Hurricane Melissa's impact last week, Sandals Resorts International has announced plans to reopen five of its Jamaica resorts on Dec. 6.
The December reopenings include the Sandals Dunn's River, Sandals Ocho Rios, Sandals Royal Plantation, Sandals Negril and Beaches Negril.
In a statement, Sandals said the Dec. 6 date "ensures team members have the time to recharge and care for their families and communities before returning to work."
The group's three other Jamaica resorts -- the Sandals Montego Bay, Sandals South Coast and Sandals Royal Caribbean -- are scheduled to reopen on May 30. These properties are located in areas harder hit by the hurricane and, according to Sandals, "will have a more extended timeline for improvements."
In a statement, Sandals assured guests that it remains committed to helping impacted guests, though the company is continuing to prioritize those with nearer-term travel plans.
The company's Dec. 6 reopenings precede Jamaica tourism minister Edmund Bartlett's Dec. 15 target for the island's tourism industry to be fully operational, with Sandals executive chairman Adam Stewart tapped to serve on the country's Hurricane Melissa Recovery Task Force.