BVI’s arrival experience should not be so painful!
Former BVI Tourist Board (BVITB) Director Sharon Flax-Brutus has argued that the BVI‘s arrival experience is unduly painful.
Speaking on the Talking Points radio programme yesterday, March 4 the former director said: “I’m not saying that nothing was achieved for the last couple of years, but it (the arrival experience) should not be so painful.”
Flax-Brutus, who said she now prefers to be referred to as a Tourism Experience Curator, helms the Virgin Gorda Villa Rentals establishment and said she also has responsibility for the Leverick Bay Restaurant in Virgin Gorda.
Flax-Brutus said guests who have already committed to visiting the BVI know that it takes a while to get here, but said it’s still a painful process.
According to the former director, she recently returned to the territory from Miami and related that it was really tough.
She suggested that persons that arrived with other ferry connections, as well as those who are elderly and handicapped, should ideally be given first preference as they disembark ferries.
“I think we suffer with that arrival experience and it’s made even more cumbersome with the (COVID-19) protocols,” she said.
Flax-Brutus argued that while protocols are important and need to be in place, they should be explained in normal English.
She also spoke about the BVI‘s online entry registration portal which makes reference to patient registration for arriving guests.
“Why can’t we call it guest? We’re not checking into a hospital, we are coming on a vacation,“ she said.
The former director also listed benches for persons to sit and decent bathrooms as being among some of the little things that would assist in improving the BVI’s guest experience.
“It doesn’t cost us $100,000 to have nice bathrooms, those are the little things that the type of guests who come to our destination expect,” Flax Brutus stated.
She also recommended that Tourist Board staff be placed in positions to assist with guest arrivals at both the airport and seaports as they did in the past, particularly with filling out forms for tourists who arrive.
Flax-Brutus was keen to note however, that despite what others might think, her opinion about tourism is never personal as she simply says what she has to say and moves on.
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Ohhhh so you couldn’t help to put protocols in place when you were in. Now you out you can see with 20/20 vision all the flaws about the tourism industry and you did nothing about it during your tenor.
You were always a reactive person anyway …. Shew fly!
Madam @ Ram – I hope you are using the little intellect you have to make the BVI Tourism Product the best out there, and not bring down anyone for suggesting improvements. Steew -girl get!
@Ram she was removed from office before the Covid Pandemic.
was not at TB when covid happened
This woman never should have been removed from the Tourist Board. It is difficult to find a BVIslander with more knowledge across the diverse sectos of our tourism industry than Sharon. The Tourist Board with no tourism experience would be wise to listen to her advice.
Time to get rid of the Covid stuff like the civilised countries and our competitors like Antigua have done already.
We need to find an easier process to seam line the process, it’s a hassle to complete forms which produce long lines and the Covid process is still a headache. We should invest in platforms to scan documents like Stt offer, complete a form online and you get approval within minutes, they then scan you and all is set. Immigration needs to find a better system to avoid the completion of the forms. Miami offers a system where they already know your intention and travels. We have to do better as a tourist destination, it’s getting difficult to get and do business in the BVI. The ports need attention, move the domestic ferry to the Pier Park and expand the Road Town Jetty for larger immigration and custom facility.
Is Covid still around not hearing that word anymore the rich done get richer an satisfy .
What is needed is a customer service training program, like was used in the later 90’3. Return the “civil” to the Civil Service, make them smile and be pleasant, arrive on time and be ready to work on time. I was at a seminar for Caribbean countries and the marine industry at which a vote was taken for the least welcoming experience; the BVI was the unanimous winner!
Actually, what is needed are consequences for not abiding by standard customer service practices. The govt has spent money on customer service training for Customs and Immigrations people on several occasions. More training won’t make any difference. EIther the staff shapes up or is shipped out.
These two comments are all i wanted to see, both very right! For the first set of ppl tourists meet on entry into the BVI, alot of the “front-facing” officers and agents BEEEEEN needed a reality check, and the strange part is, they would go to another country to visit and expect to be treated exceptionally. Yet folks coming to your port and you hoggish, full of bad attitude, and uncooperative. It has to change
What’s needed is proper management to enforce the standards. It starts at the top.
Stop holding on to Covid.. Let it go..If the government think keeping Covid alive will help them win the election…They are mistaken…It will help them lose the election..
I travelled twice during the latter half of March by ferry and at the end of the month by air and it was quite easy. With the ferry i witnessed persons (handicapped and elderly) being assisted and taken care of first by the operators/immigration etc. Very pleasant and helpful young ladies were at the ferry dock to assist passengers as they disembarked the ferry.
By air it was also very simple.
i would say quite seamless compared to other countries i had visited during the time away. we should stop complaining and appreciate what we have here. In this tiny island.
No one is complaining Hun. Just facts.
I am glad you had an easy experience and saw good things happening in that one day you traveled but I’m about to burst your bubble. Whatever you witnessed is not consistent and there in lies the problem.
newer and modern systems needs to be in place for faster flow
BVI need to realize that we are competing with many other destinations for the tourist dollar and stay on point. So many other Caribbean destinations have updated their entry protocols and we still in lock down mode. It’s time to get up to speed on this vitally important issue. There are other crises coming at us we need to be prepared.
yep , perfect name for you /, now try speaking the truth , even steavie wonder can see you are LIEING
We need to march on these covid protocals right away
There is a senior female customs officer at the roadtown ferry that is incredibly rude to passengers. I have no idea how she has stayed in her job.
As a bvislander I was so embarrassed by the way she acted one morning to the outgoing tourists that was waiting to board the boat… Sooooo embarrassing
Anyone remember how much did the bathrooms Noel Lloyd action park cost? Hmmm
I and many people I know have come to enjoy your beautiful island in the past. With these ridiculous protocols, we have been shut out and made us not even consider coming because of the many hoops you have to jump through. I feel bad for what your government is doing to the tourism industry on the island.
eye contact is a start…not looking at a person when your interacting is…rude..not cultural.Its a problem through the Caribbean.The service industry requires folks without chip on shoulder.
Would very much like to visit again haven’t been back since 2019. There is no way we are up for spending thousands of dollars to make our way down there and then have to jump through questionable effective protocols. Double vaxxed and had the rona twice. If there is no masking, testing, or excessive health forms we would love to visit you guys and spend our hard earned vacation savings. Hope to see you all soon!
Why would entry protocols become more difficult rather than less restrictive in April. Numbers have decreased so why require the completion of the travel portal which is extremely slow in responding & definitely not within the 48hr time frame. The portal requirement wasn’t required in February for vaccinated guests. So why now? You’re regressing rather than progressing in your reentry regulations. Please review and make some positive, efficient changes.
It’s a lot of trouble to get to BVI from the USA. Other than a direct flight there is not much that can be done about that. When you add in all the hoops that need to be jumped through for COVID it is just not worth it. In 2021 we chartered in the USVI for the first time and I would say that BVI is a better charter destination but it’s not worth the extra hassle. We have also started venturing into Mexico more and they make it very easy to get in and out of the country. On top of that they are very polite and friendly to travelers. BVI needs to make a lot of changes before we will consider it again.