BVITB calls for $3.7M budget increase, cites major plans for tourism
Director of the BVI Tourist Board (BVITB) Sharon Flax-Brutus wants a $3.7 million increase to the statutory body’s annual budget.
Such an increase would push the tourist board’s annual budget allocation to a figure just in excess of $14 million.
While addressing the 2019 Standing Finance Committee (SFC) back in April, Flax-Brutus said the tourist board’s budget has been at $10.5 million since she was appointed as head of the BVITB more than six years ago.
Plans
Flax-Brutus said the additional funds will be invested towards increasing the tourism facilities in all of the territory’s electoral districts.
As an example, she said the BVITB plans to liaise with stakeholders to get additional tours to the Eighth District.
The BVITB boss said there are additional enhancements the board intends to undertake in the areas of signage, road works, among other things.
Flax-Brutis further said the board intends to seek ways to promote sports tourism by bringing in tournaments to the territory. However, sporting facilities will be needed for such an undertaking.
According to the 2019 Standing Finance Committee report, the BVITB said: “It is not just about the facility itself, the infrastructure in terms of roads, hotels, taxis, and support system needs to be in place”.
“The Tourist Board also plans to use the additional monies in terms of marketing and advertising,” the report stated.
Junior Minister for Tourism Shereen Flax-Charles, Opposition Leader Marlon Penn, and Second District Representative Melvin ‘Mitch’ Turnbull all supported the increase, the SFC report further indicated.
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Tourism my a**! No proper resorts, open burning down at the incinerator which got way worst last night. What Tourism? This place is in so much trouble and we think throwing a few millions here and there will solve the problems.
We do have proper resorts here and yes in other parts of the world where tourism is thriving our incinerator problems is a drop in the bucket as far as pollution is concern and that problems is easily fixable.
Some of us is to ignorant always seeing the glass half empty. We have such a negative view of ourselves we want to spew it over to society.
When the IBC act was passed some said offshore finance would not get anywhere in the BVI we don’t have skyscrapers and this and that.
The board needs to explain how it will spend $14M.the $10.5 is already too high.
the board and staff will be the tourists, who will every week be on a paid vacation and show off on FB to the paying public as they wine and dine on our account. In this day of technology, how hard is it to market the BVI electronically instead of them making sure there are enough worldwide conferences that they can attend
STRUPE COMMENT
That’s NOT how international tourism dollars get spent. If you don’t show up at the conventions and other tourism programming, those dollars go elsewhere. Maybe try to understand wtf you’re discussing before you continue to embarrass yourself strupe
SMH
STRUPE THINKING
The budget hasn’t changed in 6 years. If you bothered to read even a little bit it clearly states where the money will go. But then of course you would have no reason to make more STRUPE COMMENT which is clearly what you’re good at smh
I wish they would just close the d**n TB. Total waste of the taxpayers money. I cannot think of a single positive achievement those guys have had in the last decade, despite burning through $100 million in public funds over that period.
Agree. What do they do with all these millions?
That’s about right for a cleanup campaign.
First class airfares???
STRUPE COMMENT
You obviously don’t understand the world is bigger than BVI. WHEN A MINISTER FROM A COUNTRY SHOWS UP FLYING COACH THEY DONT GET TAKEN SERIOUSLY. FLIGHTS ARE A DROP IN THE BUCKET STRUPE. TRY EDUCATION BEFORE YOU KEEP MAKING FOOLS OF YOURSELVES
Condescending with your broken record strupes drivel ..and nobody liking it…pipe down a siddung!…it have anybody checking which class people fly when they go on govt business? Strupes yo self sound like you work for them and looking a nice holiday
TB staff should travel coach, over 8 hours premium economy, it’s a tenth of the price of business and resolves the budget issue. The markets don’t care how they get to the destination, your reason that they should fly business to make an impression is shocking!
$14M is quite a sum for the BVITB annual budget. Can the public view how this expenditure is broken down? Is the sum net of any fees or revenue generated by the BVITB and if so, how much is this revenue and what is its source? What is the true return on the amount BVITB invests in the Territory’s tourism. Accountability of the people’s purse ? is being sought here. Thank you.
Now this is an excellent comment and well considered. It makes sense to show all of this data so the money is used effective as possible.
To do what may i ask ? Hope it’s not for tummy tucks, face lifts and buttocks filling ?
Don’t forget the botox,veeners and shopping at the high end stores in America.
And we trying to promote B&B in villages and in the mean wile your neighbor have goats,sheep and fighting fowl. So we should promote more farm life…!!
MORE STRUPE THINKING IN THE COMMENTS
with offshore changing and the ONLY other pillar of the economy being TOURISM it only MAKES SENSE TO INVEST IN ITS CONTINUED SUCCESS. of course STRUPES DONT UNDERSTAND HOW THE ECONOMY WORKS, THEY ARE CALLED STRUPES FOR A REASON. SHARON FLAX HAS DONE OUTSTANDING WORK BRINING TOURISM BACK TO A REGION WITH NOTHING BUT NAYSAYING. WHAT DO YOU MEAN NO RESORTS? THATS A STRUPE COMMENT. WHAT DO YOU MEAN SPENDING MONEY ON TUMMY TUCKS ETC? THATS A SEXIST STRUPE COMMENT. WTF HAVE YOU EVER DONE BESIDES CRY ONLINE? IF BVI WANTS TO BE ANYTHING EVER AGAIN THEN INVEST IN TOURISM.
GOD YOU PEOPLE MAKE ME SMH, THAT IS WHEN IM NOT PUKING OVER YOUR MEAN-HEARTED STUPIDITY. WHAT YOU THINK TOURISM DOLLARS JUST SHOW UP BECAUSE YOU’RE IN BVI? NOT ANYMORE BECAUSE OF YOUR STRUPE RECOVERY.
SHARON FLAX IS ONE OF A VERY FEW THAT ACTUALLY DOES SOMETHING AND TRULY CARES.
SHOW SOME RESPECT STRUPES
OR MORE LIKELY KEEP ACTING LIKE F*CKING IDIOTS AND THEN WONDER WHY YOU HAVE NOTHING.
STRUUUUUUUUPES
Are you trying to say stupid or are you that stupid. What the H*ll is a STRUPES. LOL. PLEASE GO HAVE A SEAT AT THE KIDDIES TABLE AND WAIT TO BE SERVED. THE CHICKEN NUGGETS WILL BE SERVED SOON.
I really hope you are nowhere near our tourist product
Increasing the BVITB budget for 2020 is a bad idea. What the BVI government needs to do is streamline the tourist’s access to and from the BVI. First upgrade the entire ferry system between St. Thomas and the BVI. Next open BVI Customs & Immigration offices in Tortola Wharf in Charlotte Amalie and Red Hook, St. Thomas. All BVI bound tourists can clear Immigration & Customs while waiting for their ferry in St. Thomas and then the ferry can drop off their passengers at West End, Nanny Cay, Village Cay, Moorings/Sunsail, Fort Burt Marina, Road Reef Marina, the Fat Hog’s Bay marinas, VG Yacht Harbour and Leverick Bay.
The only thing you guys do is trying,yes trying to live that champagne life and caviar dream. All of you jig will be up soon. The TB is a big joke. Can’t or don’t know how to promote the Island.May as well hire someone from America to show you how and what promotion means. All of you is in it for the perks and status. Big shame on you guys.
Very good and truthful comment. You should be the one in charge of running the Tourist Board. Honestly, this Tourist Board is a big joke. Traveling, perks and shopping is what they do and asking for more money. Come up with a way to properly promote the Island instead of looking like a bunch of I can’t think and look like Jack***es.
GO AND REPAIR THE DINGHY DOCK IN CANE GARDEN BAY WHERE visitors on boats and local use every day a crying dis Grace you guys should be ashamed of your self daaaaa
..and replace the swim buoys properly before a tourist gets run over
If they don’t get the air polution from Pockwood fixed…. there is no need to spend a cent more on anything. 14 million and how much would an entire NEW incinerator fix cost? As always, the BVI. does not take care of infrastructure. Just gung-ho ahead with spending money on material things.
If they don’t fix the age old problem with the incinerator, no need to spend another cent on anything. The BVI, never has cared about infastructure……..Just gung-ho on material things that has nothing to do with the necessities of life such as water and clean air. The very necessities we need to live.