Abraham Elias Issa

Abraham Elias Issa OJ (October 10, 1905 – November 29, 1984) was a Jamaican businessman, entrepreneur and hotelier acclaimed as "The Father of Jamaican Tourism". As the first president of the Jamaica Tourist Board, he contributed to the expansion of Jamaican tourism in the late 1950s. His business accomplishments include the founding of Jamaica's first modern department store (Issa's of King Street), the country's first shopping plazas (Tropical Plaza at Half-Way-Tree and Liguanea Plazas), Jamaica's first supermarket (Hi-Lo at Cross Roads in Kingston), Jamaica's modern horse-racing track (Caymanas Park) and being a guiding force behind the development of New Kingston, now the island's commercial center. He built Tower Isle Hotel, Jamaica's first all-season resort later evolving it into Couples Hotel, Jamaica's first all-inclusive resort and first couples only resort.

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