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NBC’s TODAY with Jenna & Sheinelle has turned its cameras on Jamaica’s north coast, broadcasting from Sandals Dunn’s River in Ocho Rios and giving the island a timely tourism spotlight as the destination continues its post-storm recovery.
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Live Morning TV Comes to Ocho Rios
According to published coverage, the national morning program scheduled two special broadcasts from Sandals Dunn’s River on March 26 and 27, 2026. The shows were organized in partnership with Sandals Resorts and the Jamaica Tourist Board, positioning the Ocho Rios property as the on-the-ground base for hosts Jenna Bush Hager and Sheinelle Jones as they explored the resort and surrounding attractions.
Reports indicate that the episodes were framed as a “girls trip” format, highlighting relaxed, experiential segments rather than studio-based interviews. Viewers were offered glimpses of Jamaica’s coastline, culture and food, with Sandals Dunn’s River presented as both a luxury escape and a convenient launch point for excursions around the island’s north shore.
Publicly available information shows that the partnership came at a time when Jamaica is actively promoting its readiness for international visitors following the 2025 hurricane season. Featuring a fully operational, recently relaunched resort on a major U.S. network gave tourism stakeholders an opportunity to reassure travelers and showcase the island’s appeal in real time.
Television exposure of this kind is expected to strengthen brand recognition not only for Sandals Dunn’s River, but also for the wider Ocho Rios area, which is home to some of Jamaica’s best-known natural attractions and cruise facilities.
Highlighting Jamaica’s Recovery and Resilience
Jamaica’s tourism sector has been rebuilding after Hurricane Melissa, which disrupted travel plans and temporarily closed a number of major resorts in 2025. Industry updates show that Sandals Dunn’s River was among the first high-profile properties on the island to return to full operations, with the Ocho Rios and Dunn’s River corridor spared the worst of the storm’s impact.
Travel and trade publications describe the resort’s reopening as a symbolic moment in Jamaica’s broader comeback, noting that public spaces, landscaped grounds and beachfront areas were upgraded and refreshed in the process. Hosting a marquee U.S. television program only months later reinforces the message that the north coast is not just open, but competing confidently in the Caribbean luxury market.
Coverage of Sandals’ “Back to Jamaica” initiatives indicates that the company has been working closely with travel advisors and partners to restore visitor confidence. Large-scale familiarization events at Dunn’s River and neighboring properties have been used to demonstrate that resort services, excursions and infrastructure are operating at or above pre-storm levels.
By situating NBC’s broadcast within this context, tourism observers see the TODAY partnership as part marketing platform and part proof-of-readiness, designed to reach both prospective visitors and the travel trade at the same time.
Sandals Dunn’s River: Flagship for a New Era
Sandals Dunn’s River is often described in travel forums and trade materials as a “Sandals 2.0” property, reflecting an elevated design and amenity concept within the brand’s portfolio. The resort first welcomed guests in its reconceptualized form in 2023, then underwent further refinements as part of the island’s recovery.
Resort descriptions highlight contemporary suites with ocean views, expansive pool decks and a range of specialty restaurants that blend international cuisine with Jamaican flavors. Guests can access land and water sports, including snorkeling and diving, as well as spa and wellness offerings designed around the island’s natural setting.
Recent company news notes that Sandals Dunn’s River has also added new meeting and event capacity, including a large conference facility in Ocho Rios that is currently the biggest within the brand’s Jamaican collection. This positions the property not only as a honeymoon and leisure favorite, but as a potential hub for incentive groups and regional gatherings.
For travelers, the combination of modern hardware, all-inclusive services and easy access to signature north-coast sights has helped Dunn’s River emerge as one of Sandals’ flagship addresses in the English-speaking Caribbean.
Showcasing Jamaica’s North Coast Experiences
The TODAY broadcasts placed special emphasis on the experiences that define Jamaica’s north coast, with on-air segments and supporting coverage referencing waterfalls, beaches and local culture. Ocho Rios sits close to the famed Dunn’s River Falls, a long-standing favorite for guided climbs and waterfall hikes, as well as a range of catamaran and snorkeling trips.
Visitor guides from the Jamaica Tourist Board consistently present the north coast as a gateway to river rafting, ziplining, rainforest tours and heritage sites, many of which can be reached within a short drive of the resort areas. By using Sandals Dunn’s River as its base, the program was able to package these activities into a cohesive narrative for a mass audience.
Food and music are also central to the region’s tourism appeal. Coverage of the Jenna and Sheinelle broadcasts points to segments that leaned into Jamaican cuisine, rum cocktails and live entertainment, allowing viewers to connect familiar images of beach vacations with distinctly local sights and sounds.
For destination marketers, this kind of storytelling supports a strategy that moves beyond sun-and-sand imagery to emphasize immersive, culturally rooted experiences that can differentiate Jamaica from competing Caribbean islands.
Boost for Bookings and Brand Visibility
Large-scale television features often generate measurable bumps in destination interest, particularly when combined with viewer promotions. Information released about the TODAY partnership notes that the broadcasts were paired with an on-air giveaway for an all-inclusive stay at Sandals Dunn’s River, including flights provided in conjunction with the Jamaica Tourist Board.
Travel advisors commenting in industry forums report heightened client interest in Ocho Rios and Dunn’s River in the months leading up to and following major media exposure. Many describe the property as a top recommendation for couples seeking a modern, adults-only all-inclusive resort with convenient access to excursions.
The timing of the broadcasts, early in the 2026 travel year, aligns with peak booking periods for summer and fall vacations from key North American markets. By appearing on a long-running morning show with a nationwide audience, Jamaica’s tourism stakeholders gain an additional channel to reinforce recovery messaging and invite travelers back.
For Sandals Resorts, the collaboration underscores the company’s role as a central player in the island’s visitor economy, using its most contemporary Jamaican property to broadcast a broader story of resilience, renewal and the enduring pull of the Caribbean’s natural beauty.