The banana trade did not only bring money, it also brought tourists. Yes, in 1890 Dow Baker had a brilliant idea: to use his empty ships on the way from Boston to Jamaica to bring tourists from the cold North America to the sunny Port Antonio coast. Wise guy, eh?
He built the first hotel in Jamaica, a few years later new hotels were built. But the fame of the resort did not take off till the 1940's when superstar Errol Flynn chose Port Antonio to retire. For more than a decade many hollywood stars came here with their own yachts to visit him. Among others Ginger Rogers and Bettie Davis. The wealthiest man of those times, JP Morgan, also came with his own yacht to Port Antonio.