Can the BVI attract 2 million tourists next year?
The BVI could soon see a surge in tourism, with Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley outlining an ambitious goal to attract two million visitors in 2025.
Addressing the House of Assembly on a recent Schedule of Additional Provisions (SAP), Premier Wheatley underscored the government’s commitment to bolstering the territory’s tourism sector through strategic investments in infrastructure and events.
Premier Wheatley expressed optimism about the current trajectory of tourism, noting efforts to keep the industry buoyant during traditionally slow seasons.
“This year, we’re aiming to hit a million tourists, and next year we want more. Our goal should be to double it, to have two million tourists,” he stated, adding, “But in order to do that, we have to get aggressive.”
Plans to attract visitors
The Premier highlighted key initiatives to sustain visitor numbers, including reinvigorating the Cane Garden Bay Music Festival. He announced plans to restore the festival to its traditional dates, ensuring early promotion to draw more attendees during the summer months. “These events are designed to help support our tourism product and attract more persons to the Virgin Islands,” he said.
Infrastructure upgrades were also a central part of the Premier’s vision for tourism. Dr Wheatley revealed that funds from the recently signed $100 million loan facility would improve airports and ferry terminals.
“We’re going to be expanding the immigration and Customs area,” he explained. “Ever since we’ve had American Airlines flights from Miami, we’ve had a lot more visitors to the airport… and they’re making good money.”
The Premier also mentioned plans for the West End Ferry Terminal, slated to begin construction next year, which he described as “good news for the tourism product.
Balancing growth and concerns
Despite the bold targets, the push to increase tourist numbers comes amid concerns of over tourism in the territory. Earlier this month, the BVI made Fodor’s No List due to fears that the territory’s capacity to manage large numbers of visitors could harm the environment and strain local resources. However, Dr Wheatley’s comments suggest a focus on sustainable growth through strategic planning and enhanced visitor experiences.
Tourism remains a critical pillar of the BVI economy, and the Premier is confident that the government’s investments will yield significant returns. With expanded airport facilities, improved connectivity through new flights, and a packed calendar of events, the government is optimistic about surpassing the ambitious two-million-tourist mark.
“Our tourism product has been performing well, and by God’s grace and mercy, we’ll continue to see growth,” Dr Wheatley remarked. “Unity is strength. Divided we fall, but united we stand.”
As the territory works to meet its 2025 target, it remains to be seen how these plans will balance increased tourism with preserving the charm and natural beauty that have long drawn visitors to the BVI.
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This is absolutely pure horse spit! No way is it possible for tourism to double year over year unless there was a disaster the year before like Hurricanes or Covid. No country in the world gets more than maybe a 8-10% increase and that is usually because of a new hotel opening or some major attraction like Disney World. This guy and his advisors at the Tourist Board have shown that they are super clueless!
Music fest in it best year maybe had 6k people. That is a .0006% increase not a 100% increase! You think people are coming here because you fixed the roads and WE terminal like they should have been 10 years ago? The WE ferry terminal is an attraction that people are traveling to see?
What a load of crapola! There is zero real tangible plans to bolster tourism from this Minister of Tourism because he doesn’t know or understand tourism. Whoever gave him those words to speak should be fired! Just dumb!
Bolstering tourism is not about increasing the number of tourists but instead it is about increasing the spend of each tourist. You only increase the spend of each tourist by enhancing the tourist experience and attractions and amenities and accommodations.
St Barths only allows a specific number of tourists every year and are the cream of the crop destination in this region. They are not interested in increasing their tourism numbers. But all the billionaires go there year after year. We should learn something from St Barths.
No way are 2 million people coming to this dump.
YES THEY WILL, THE BUSSHY HILL SIDES, THE SWIMMING POOLS POT HOLES, WHAT OTHER ACTIVITIES DO WE OFFER OTHER THAN BEACHED AND SAILING…
Will the relevant stake holders address the issue of Carrying Capacity”.
A balance needs to be struck between the number of visitors coming in and the sustainability of the product being offered.
FODOR’S
The Cane Garden Bay Music Festival filled every hotel room, but only because the festival was responsible for housing all of the acts and their stage hands, paid for by the Government’s $250-300,000 support. The “tourist” numbers are skewed in that the majority of people were family and friends from USVI, staying with family because there wasn’t any available accommodation! Look at the audits of the Festival before you keep blowing smoke at us!!
Premier that all sounds great. But what about the rude immigration and customs staff at the sea and airports. There needs to be a better welcoming for visitors. Look at St. Thomas and San Juan.
https://www.fodors.com/news/news/fodors-no-list-2025?
we don’t even have a variety of food, all most all the restaurants have the same dam food.
Strategic planning? You keep using those words but you don’t know what they mean. There hasn’t been a fleshed out tourism plan in over 10 years and it shows.
Does the BVI electorate WANT to do this?
BVI is on an increasingly steep downward descent. Financial services is in terminal decline. Tourism is lowest common denominator and being criticized in lading global guides. Our government is inept. Our infrastructure has crumbled to zero. A judicial CoI found corruption. Our premier was arrested and jailed for narco traffiking. Serious, drug related crime is on the up. Anyone who cannot see that this country is finished is either dumb or total denial.
No one is doing anything about it. There is only one way this will end – Haiti 2. If you disagree, please detail what is the above is false. Advice – if you can, sell up and move on while you can.
sounds like an ex pat rustling up some scare tactics to get some property cheap so that when things swing up they are in the position to gain a handsome profit. hmmm def sus
The truth is most times hard to bear
re we kidding? nobody wants 2 million tourists.
Completely out to lunch. Has no idea. So depressing.
No. but the Nat will say we did.
Did he not see this headline “Tourism challenges land BVI on Fodor’s 2025 ‘No List’”
He sees this a progress, but everyone else knows it will be the death of sustainable, financially beneficial tourism in the VI.
2 million visitors is not what the VI needs.
2 million visitors will destroy the BVI 1 million already exceeds the infrastructure. No sane person wants this.
We must learn something from St. Barths. After-all, my first scholarship came from NYC via St. Barths to VG.