Jamaica may currently be enjoying a star turn in the recent James Bond film, but the island has always been synonymous with the world’s most famous British spy, not least because author Ian Flemming penned the original 007 novels there at his cottage, Goldeneye.
The cottage, located about 20 minutes east of Ocho Rios, lent its name to an early Bond flick, though it was “Dr. No” (1962) and “Live and Let Die” (1973) that completed, along with the current “No Time To Die,” the triumvirate of films that were filmed (in part) on-island and were visited by the Bonds of the day (Sean Connery, Roger Moore, and Daniel Craig respectively).
“Jamaica’s relationship with the Bond series and enterprise has continued, the legacy of it; we continue to celebrate Ian Flemming history as an inspiration in and to Jamaica,” says Jamaica Tourist Board director Donovan White. “This is something that is very near and dear for us.”
To that end, White says Jamaica is actively developing a James Bond Trail that will help keep the legacy of agent 007 alive on the island, and allow fans to follow in his footsteps, both through filming sites and movie locations.
Initially, the Bond experience will appear as a microsite on the JTB web site, visitjamaica.com, and will include virtual experiences of the three films in the series filmed in Jamaica.
But White adds that “physical experiences” will eventually be rolled out as well.
Fans will be able to visit the sites on the trail and use their mobile phone with a QR code to discover more information about the sites.
Trail spots will range from Port Antonio to Montego Bay, including the Goldeneye cottage, which is now part of the Half Moon resort in Mo’ Bay.
“We are definitely building out the experience as a long-term (venture) because we believe it’s important and we have the support of the franchise owners of James Bond to be able to do this execution… and making it available to visitors, as well as to our own Jamaicans, who have an affinity and love affair with the Bond experience,” says White.