Tower Isle: The Birthplace of Jamaican Luxury Tourism

A Visionary’s Dream: The Genesis of Tower Isle

In the late 1940s, Abraham Elias Issa, affectionately known as “Abe,” envisioned transforming Jamaica’s tourism landscape. Born in Kingston in 1905 to a family of Middle Eastern descent, Abe was a trailblazer in Jamaican business, establishing the country’s first modern department store and supermarket. His ventures laid the foundation for what would become a revolutionary shift in Caribbean hospitality.

Responding to guests’ desires at the Myrtle Bank Hotel in Kingston for a resort on Jamaica’s north coast, Abe embarked on creating the Tower Isle Hotel. Designed by architect Bartholomew Viçens-Oliver, the hotel opened its doors in January 1949 after a year of dedicated construction. This marked the inception of Jamaica’s first year-round resort, pioneering tourism on the then-undeveloped north coast.