Empty Tourist Board booth at STT airport lambasted
A crowded arrival lounge at the Cyril E. King Airport in St Thomas (STT), packed with anxious tourists headed to the BVI, has caused questions to be raised about the lack of any visible presence of BVI Tourist Board (BVITB) staff, despite a well-branded welcome booth at the facility.
Heavy criticism emerged over the cost of maintaining the empty booth and about the glaring absence of any visual aids or videos for anxious tourists searching for details on ferry schedules and other helpful information about getting to the BVI from St Thomas at one of the busiest times of the year.
Many residents expressed disappointment after one observer pointed out that the BVI Tourist Board’s booth at the STT airport has been left empty for some time now and the Greeter Service previously operated by the agency appears to have been discontinued.
The observer, a local resident of the territory, posted a hypothetical scenario on social media about a first-time visitor to the BVI arriving at the neighbouring airport and anxiously awaiting information about a ferry that may have been delayed and alternative options if there is a delay.
In the scenario, the first-time visitor comments that it is advertised on all media platforms that someone from the BVI Tourist Board would be there to assist visitors. However, they were at a lost for words, given the empty booth and a baggage claim area that was packed.
The resident pointed out that they would probably be forced to sleep in St Thomas if they had not known their way around.
A 2018 release on the government’s website noted the return of a greeter service at the airport and at the Wilmoth Blyden Ferry Terminal after the 2017 hurricanes, however, it is unclear if this was ended after the Virgin Islands Party (VIP) administration took office in 2019.
According to the release, BVITB staff were expected to meet and greet travellers en route to the BVI, delivering a concierge service that provides a seamless travel experience.
“The St Thomas Greeter Service which debuted in 2015, was created to guide travellers destined for the BVI”, former BVITB Director Sharon Flax-Brutus said at the time. “We are excited to offer this service to our guests creating a professional BVI experience even before they arrive on our shores. This saves our guests time and provides them with peace of mind”.
BVI News reached out to the BVITB Director, Clive McCoy for a comment on the matter but our news centre did not receive a response up to the time of publication.
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Most likely people still being paid but like all other areas from Road repairs to Building Maintenance to Trade or Labour and Immigration, the TRC!! the work is just not done.
I’m a frequent traveler the young lady is there everyday outside of her day offs I’m sure. But someone is there most times and have been for awhile now . And she does her job well
The BVI just don’t maintain anything
At the ferry, but not sure about the airport.
Reading Facebook posts and rehashing them isn’t exactly journalism. If you need other “newsworthy” items, check the mens room wall at Myetts.
This probably won’t get posted so I took a screenshot of it to add to Facebook so you and everyone else will see it.
you hardly need a booth just organized a taxi services with Tortola logo and that should cut all cost the tourist know where they will stay, in the BVI. IT HAVE BEEN IN PLACE BEFORE! you do not have to discuss that! organize for Christ sake, and make sure the taxi service is paid by Tourist Board or the passenger.
It cruise ship time all government work gone to run taxi,only in the BVI
Two problems.. 1/ People leading who ain leaders. 2/ The people don’t want work, have no love for their Job…They need to bring Cindy back, these things not only this one but more failures will never happen under Cindy watch…
Our governance in this place stinks! TB, who ever has the contract for this needs to be held accountable for this nonsense. This is our tax payers money paying for service not received. TB, you are getting robbed blind. And yes, this didn’t just start with the current TB management. What are you going to do?!!!!
bring whish cindy back. you got to be on drugs! … Wheel and come again. She ain’t no leader. stop propping her up.
Leadership matters! Where there is no vision? You know the rest. Put unqualified people in place to be your puppet and watch the whole thing crumble down to the ground. Head Coach put the Antiguan over Virgin Islands tourism knowing he don’t know nothing about being no director of tourism but wanted a puppet. Now look how things crumbling. He own people turning against he in there. Waste of time.
Hi Not True. So I’m confused. Has this booth got someone there everyday doing their job in a Professional style that we can all be proud of promoting the VI and helping people on there way. That is how it should be. Is it? Many other things are not. It would be a great advert for the VI if it is and a shining light to others of what we are capable of and competent to acheive. Which is it?
At first I was wondering why they mentioning Cindy but I remember she was part of tourism. For the people who worked with her, is this true? Did she have things running good?
New chair of board. Same poor outcome. Its not this one incident but rather how this incident is symbolic for the shambolic
Maybe we just need to hire an expat to do a belongers job
Why don’t they used the correct name: Virgin Islands.? Are they afraid to offend STT who stole the the name? No surprise though, for government officials who should know better are the chirf abusers. Where is Donald de Castro?
So it has to be staffed by someone with a green card. How quaint
The BVI does not care about tourism anymore. They make too much money laundering money and selling drugs and they really don’t like tourists. This has been proven over many years. Stay in the US VI or go to another location but don’t waste your time in the BVI.
100% true
It is sad that there is no structure or infrastructures to handle the tourism or locals as well as over-priced rides and the shenanigans they play ? the government is at fault and who governing any suitable change is incompetent yo organize a place to greet people with assurances…
They do have someone there all the time. I work at the airport and they have agent working at the booth. How about they might have arrive at the airport early before the agent start their shift. Only thing I have notice it doesn’t have a time that the booth open. There time tourist have ask me how to get to Tortola and I have tell them to go to taxi dispatcher at the airport and they will take you to blyden terminal. So we just need to not make a big deal about this. Tourism is all of us. You come to St.Thomas to go BVI booth have nobody their at the time. Just ask anyone at airport a question and we will direct you to where to go. It simply..