Montserrat Touts Active Volcano as Tourist Attraction

Montserrat is open for business and remains a safe destination for visitors, despite the increased activity of Soufriere Hills volcano. In fact, now is a perfect time to visit and see the geological phenomenon, according to Ernestine Cassell, Montserrat’s director of tourism.

Vantage points closer to the volcano in the south include the Montserrat Volcano Observatory and the observation center at Jack Boy Hill. The volcano became active in 1995 and killed 19 people when it erupted in 1997, burying the capital of Plymouth and prompting half of Montserrat’s 12,000 inhabitants to flee.

The current activity began last fall when the volcano shot a plume of ash more than two miles into the sky, coating the island with dust. Since then, sporadic ventings and eruptions occasionally have hindered air traffic in the area when visibility drops due to ash in the air.