Portland's early economy was dependent on sugar, with large estates scattered around the parish. However, as the industry declined in the nineteenth century, the parish's fertile soil proved ideally suited for bananas.

As the country's major banana port, Port Antonio boomed, ushering in an era of prosperity for the town and the region. Cabin space on the banana boats was sold to curious tourists, and the place became a favorite of glitterati such as William Randolph Hearst, J.P. Morgan, Bette Davis and Errol Flynn.

Celebrities still sequester themselves in Portland, and there's a burgeoning backpacker scene at Long Bay, but despite the revitalizing of areas such as Port Antonio's harbor front, the area can't yet compete for the mainstream vacationer, losing out to the more accessible and better-marketed resorts of Montego Bay, Negril and Ocho Rios.

Agriculture is still important, though, and the movie business periodically injects much-needed cash into the economy - films shot here include Cocktail, The Mighty Quinn, Club Paradise and Lord of the Flies. That said, the area is still a long way from the prosperity of its heyday.

Jamaica Travel Guide
Montego Bay, Kingston, Ocho Rios, Negril, Blue Mountains, Portland

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Caribbean Travel Guide