Tough times | Local magazine features competing destination while BVI recovers
The latest issue of the Virgin Islands Property & Yacht magazine is a front cover feature of Grenada.
By Esther Durand, BVI News Staff
With a large number of BVI-based resorts still undergoing renovation after the 2017 hurricanes, a local magazine has opted to feature a competing tourism destination in its publication.
The Virgin Islands Property & Yacht magazine – which hails itself as ‘the definitive, luxury guide to property, sailing and lifestyle in the Virgin Islands’ – has featured Grenada in its latest July issue.
The magazine’s six-page feature on Grenada focused on the island’s attractions, its cuisine, where to stay, when to visit, and how to get to one of Grenada’s prime attractions – Spice Isle.
A paid advertisement of a Grenada-based resort is displayed at the end of the feature.
Erin Paviour-Smith, the Sales Director at A Looking Glass – the producers of the magazine – told BVI News the decision to feature a competing destination was crucial to the company’s continuity.
“At the moment, it is very difficult in the BVI and so much of our revenue has decreased because we are an advertising model and so the only way that we can generate our revenue is through advertisement.”
“At the moment, we cannot afford to turn it (advertisement from other destinations) down. We are always focused on the BVI and we always want to focus on the BVI especially now in our recovery. But, also, we are a business as well and we have the staff to support.”
Keeping the readers’ interest
According to Smith, a recent company survey the company commissioned showed 47 percent of their readership had travelled three times in the last 12 months.
She said the magazine’s Grenada feature, therefore, was also to engage that demographic of readers.
“With so many of our resorts destroyed and also the villas, we are trying to find ways to keep our readers interested. It’s something different as well since we don’t want to always be talking about the hurricane all the time.”
She said the magazine will entertain outside advertising from time to time. However, they are not striving to be a non-Virgin Islands publication.
Meanwhile, the publication’s Creative Director, Nick Cunha said this is not the first time the magazine has featured another country.
He said the company previously did six features on other Caribbean islands. Among those was a 2011 issue titled ’36 hours in Dominica’.
Copyright 2018 BVI News, Media Expressions Limited. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or distributed.
There we go again another low blow & want to us at heart.Stop this malice either for against or helping.
THEY ARE UNDERMINING THE BVI
——– working with E—- ———–, can’t expect anything better. the competition is tight
— should be d—— to grenada…Only in the BVI these kind of things are accepted
We are being “bad-talked” right under our noses.
anything for a buck
“never bite the hand that feed yo”
This ‘news’ article is not ‘news’ and unnecessary. If this website is compelled to fabricate ‘news’ about local magazines then please include comments on all the articles in this magazine; e.g. Understanding (Home)Insurance, Covering the Cost with BCQS, Repairing & Preparing series by Harneys, Staycations in the BVI, etc.
If y’all would stop being so ignorant, you would reaize, WE HAVE NOTHING TO ADVERTISE!!!!! Rather than a local business going under and locals not getting paid, the owners are doing the best they can to keep the business alive. Would you rather they just closed??
Locals you say?! Stop by the looking glass and see how many locals work there.
Unless you consider locals to be anyone who lives here fine , but if you meen BVI local then there are none that work there !!
This is the headspace of ‘locals’! If a business closes, all of a sudden, there’s less folks in your supermarkets, less folks in your restaurants, less home/apartment rentals, less people needed at Electric Co., less NHI money and so on. Yes, it definitely affects ‘locals!’
I’m local too
I agree with you, BVI Properties and Yacht, in using the strategy you used to stay alive in light of the aftermath of Hurricanes Irma and Maria. Your magazine is a staple in my living room’s coffee table. Do not mind the naysayers. The articles from the other Caribbean countries might be just the thing to wake some of us up and remind us of our competition, and keep our product or brand fresh. It will also give a wider readership of the magazine and the potential of new travelers to our neck of the woods for business and/or vacation. Some people are so narrow minded. Any, all the best.
That is the problem with you British Virgin Islanders you need to spend more time and more energy focusing on the Territory of the Virgin Islands. Do whatever is necessary to improve and build the hotel and resort industry and focus on attracting tourist dollars to the island. Keep on working harder to build and improving on what you already have. You do not want to do anything to damage the reputation of the British Virgin Islands being a top tourist destination for travelers. Don’t spend time and energy looking around at what others are doing.
Well said, caps off to you my dear…
What, BVI people are not allowed to travel for their vacations BVI News? Stop trying to stir up trouble for local businesses that are trying to survive and have managed to pay and keep their employees since the hurricane, despite losses and challenging times.
This doesn’t hurt the BVI. You aren’t legitimately open for tourism that advertises in this publication. These people are trying to keep their workers employed. Their BVI and USVI workers. This directly helps you and your economy. Of course, this is the BVI, so of course you don’t understand the long game and view it as a problem. That is the EXACT headset that has caused your lackluster recovery. All the other island nations are recovering swiftly and you are complaining about magazines. GET IT TOGETHER AND STOP HATING ON THOSE WHO ALREADY HAVE. you should he embarrassed for your country and take steps to fix it, not just tear down the people actually willing to make the tough choices. BVI NEWS THIS IS A STUPID AND USELESS ARTICLE MEANT TO FAN FLAMES FOR NO REASON, LIKE YOUR RACIST CHINESE ARTICLES. SHAME ON YOU.
I don’t see what the problem is. The company said their piece and what they said is fair… this has nothing to do with undermining the BVI and i dont think bvi news did anything wrong either. Wasny the article balanced? but ayo shud hav a opinion anyhow
How can I get a copy of the magazine? Thank you VI Property and Yacht for being open-minded. VIslanders this should not upset you at least someone remains in a job and a Grenada Business is paying the price. Let’s continue to leave in peace and harmony.