Better investment climate needed to grow tourism — Flax-Brutus
Interim Executive Director of the BVI Yachting, Hotel & Tourism Association (BVIYHTA) Sharon Flax-Brutus has stated that the BVI needs to improve its investment environment so that the tourism product can expand.
Speaking about the state of the local tourism industry on Tola Radio recently, Flax-Brutus said it is hard to do business in the BVI when compared to other regional destinations.
“Yearly, occupancy for hotels in the BVI is still not over 70 per cent. And when we’re talking about investment, we need to have an investment climate that is friendly. I’m not saying an investor should come in and get whatever they want, but the process needs to be streamlined,” Flax-Brutus explained.
“If you look at what happens with investments in other Caribbean islands — Cayman, Turks and Caicos, St Kitts and Antigua — the climate is a bit easier to navigate from what I am told.”
Flax-Brutus stressed that she is not speaking primarily about improving the climate to attract international investment, adding that she prefers to see more local investment in tourism.
Where is the master plan for tourism?
She added that one of the things the government can do to invest in tourism is to plan infrastructural upgrades with tourism in mind. She said this needs to start when the government is planning the yearly budget, which she argues should include line items specifically for tourism.
“There are no line items specific to tourism initiatives. Yes, they should be concerned about their [ministerial] portfolios but where is the master plan that feeds into tourism? We looked at a strategic tourism plan while I was at the Tourist Board — we got it as far as ‘out for tender’ but nothing happened.”
Flax-Brutus also said tourism industry players should be engaged more often as currently, infrastructural upgrades that affect tourism are often done without the input or knowledge of the industry players. She said this dialogue and collaboration would help to ensure that tourism grows as it should in the territory.
“Without a plan, we are planning to fail and that is what we are seeing. Our roads and ports are falling apart. People are coming in on the American Airlines flights, but when you get to Trellis Bay, it looks like a dump. How can we say we are a luxury destination and it looks like that? There’s a sign there that says ‘Construction Coming Soon’ but who did these agencies talk to? Did they talk to the industry? A lot of times the industry is left out of the discussions,” Flax Brutus argued.
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This was such an excellent program. Ms Flax Brutus is so knowledgeable why was she let go? Kudos to Tola radio for facilitating these informative shows. Love it!
It is impossible to get the right staff. We cannot even bring people in for interviews or trials , for chefs for example. So we cannot compete with St Barts or with territories with bigger populations where it is easier to find skills.
We cannot enhance our offerings without going through the crazy deadly slow hugely bureaucratic trade license process that is designed solely to kill enterprise. Try to add a spa, a bar or a car to your offering and its months and months long trade license process that means numerous pieces of paper being produced everytime, pointless repeated inspections and constant demands for more and more pieces of paper.
Some trades are protected by ludicrous and pointless procedures designed entirely to stop competition to existing businesses. Try doing anything with transport.
The Tourist Board lives in an entirely unrealistic dream world, like traveling around at tax payer expense but produces nothing of any value to tourism businesses.
There is lots of talk but nothing happens.
Why is the lady blowing smoke in the air. Slowande already have the tourism sector under control. A few more free fetes will bring the tourist in. Madam what do you know about tourism when you have the expert Dan the slowman with the plan have it under control.
She needs a bigger impact such as being the Tourism Director. She knows what she is about and I was pleased to hear her passion for Tourism and her ideas to improve.
@Hotellier
Spot on!
Labour restrictions (coupled with the snail’s pace at which the department works) have long been a roadblock to expanding the economy. And HM Customs is a roadblock to further investment as well.
1. Stop the idiotic process of obtaining a “Non Belonger’s Land Holding Licence,” which should take less than a month. There’s this new thing called the Internet and I hear that it’s going to be really big some day. The government could run any purchaser through INTERPOL and get all of the background information it needs on the person – but then again, that would not keep endless numbers of bureaucrats poring over the same information that gets passed along to another mindless functionary.
2. Change the Labour Code so that ANY amount added to a restauarant or hotel bill for any service MUST be given to the server or housekeeper. The Labour Code says that a “gratuity” has to go to the server, but restaurant owners and hoteliers just call the extra charge a “service fee,” so they can keep it and parcel out what they want to – and it’s wrong. No more of this “service charge” BS where proprietors purposefully hide from patrons that they are using these charges to defray their overhead, while depriving the servers or maids of what the patron thinks is a gratuity.
3. Cut back on the ridiculous number of paid holidays. They make it needlessly difficult for any business, especially a small one, to make a profit – and without profits, there are no jobs created by a business.
The government cares more about giving people patronage jobs than instituting policies that foster economic growth.
We just weeks ago began direct flights between Florida and Bvi. Bitter End, after 7 years trying to rebound for Hirma and Covid, Leteg Island, owned by billionaires, we aren’t hearing anything from them. Biras Creek Resort is still a distance off from rebuilding and reentering the yourism niche. Long Bay Hotel who knows where they stand? Luckily Yates (umbrillar for Levericks Bay Villas and Virgin Gorda Villa Rentals), being in the big league in construction on Virgin Gorda was able to rebuild and apparently improve after the Irma and Covid. Prospect Reef is still a maybe so development. The country itself hasn’t regrouped from those two castrophies and likely going to need more time and more borrowing to get back on track meanwhile, Yach Chartering is holding up their end of the bargain as well as Cruise tourism.it will take some time to aar
@Too Much Red Tape
Way true!
OOHHHHH PLEASE! It starts with the BVI and the people of the BVI being decisive and focused on who and what they want their tourism product to be. We cannot be all things to all people, if it is to be done right and done well. The islands that have done it the best are those who have chosen what their tourism will look like, and have taken the time to ensure that every citizen and resident are on the same page. Have ensured that the basic and fundamental infrastructure from education on up is in place and ready to handle all that is entailed. Investing in the BVI is A LOT easier than some other Caribbean islands but you have to have an understanding of investing and what investors are looking for. We need to focus on what has always been the driving force of our tourism. Focus on that and you will see how fast EVERYTHING else would fall into place. St. Barth and the Bahamas made a conscious decision about their tourism and have never looked back. We need people who know what they are talking about and wo will be trusted by the people to listen and be guided by them anything else is just hot air.
Why not initiate an apprenticeship and let those who live here shadow the ones you have. Why you all just want to keep bringing laborers to the Territory and then shunning the residents or Belangers.
This woman needs to sit down from plotting revenge on the VIP government. Who knows know! Keep an eye on her. Everyone thinks she’s the brain but little do they know it’s her St. Lucian consultant that makes her look good. Shout out to you Ms. SR