Ferry operators urged to adapt as airlift steals business
Amid concerns from ferry operators that direct flights from the United States to the BVI are affecting their business, Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley has again urged the industry to adapt to the changing travel landscape.
Ferry services have traditionally relied on passengers traveling from the US Virgin Islands (USVI) to the BVI. However, with American Airlines now offering direct flights from Miami to Terrance B. Lettsome International Airport, more visitors are bypassing ferry routes altogether.
Premier Wheatley said direct airlift to the BVI is expected to increase, especially with the government’s plans to extend the airport runway. In light of this, he encouraged ferry operators to explore new business opportunities.
“What we would like for persons to understand is that we are going to extend our runway and what we should be doing as businesses is thinking of ways of diversifying our business. We have to learn to find ways to evolve and adapt. If we don’t do that, we won’t be sustainable,” the Premier said.
He suggested operators consider tapping into the growing demand for inter-island travel within the BVI.
“There’s a thriving marine business within the VI — going to Virgin Gorda, Anegada, doing cruises in our waters. So as a certain level of traffic decreases, we have to adapt our business model to continue to thrive,” he added.
While reinforcing the government’s commitment to developing airlift, Premier Wheatley said he remains open to dialogue with ferry operators to help them transition.
“We may also have to speak to the Ports Authority and perhaps see, if we do have reduced numbers (of ferry passengers), how we can adjust the scheduling to accommodate reduced numbers. But there is a reality that once the airport is built, there will be less need to fly out of the US Virgin Islands and I think everybody has to prepare themselves for that,” he stated.
Copyright 2025 BVI News, Media Expressions Limited. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or distributed.
People had to change the way they travelef because sailing between Tortola and St. Thomas is too expensive. From $45 to $50 round trip, its $75 one way. The ferry opdrators escalated the price during hurricanes Irma and Maria crisis and have not adjusted the fares. You can get to to the mainland for the same amount you pay to travel to St. Thomas by boat which is a 45 minutes sail. Why are they complaining? Greed does not pay dividends in the end. It just makes smarter consumers who look for alternative means to save money. They can do better, but since there are no government regulations ghey do what they want. I fly BVI to Miami, Miami to New York. Much cheaper than sailing to St.Thomas, taxi to the airport. People are getting smarter as we should.
@ bishop
Very,well said.
There will be no public sympathy for the Ferry Operators. They have for years received Government subsidies and NEVER passed along any of those savings to the public.They have held the BVI public hostage for years(one of the reason for not taking action on the Airport in the past was to capitulate to the operators) Ariive in STT at 5 PM well you will spend the night because there are no ferrys. How about thet change their schedule and coordinate with the Airlines in STT -How about provide a shuttle directly to the dock. Treat your customer like you care. Its not ironic that the sole operator that does not receive subsidies has the best service and pricing Speedys. Maybe because they understood that they had to provide a level of service that compelled their customer to return time after time to survive. Stop the price gouging , structure your pricing fairly and provide convenient schedulling and Ferry operators will survive.
Natalio wants to become a millionaire from the airport project and we all know what he wants to do.
He wants to do just like Mark for the cruise ship project.
No to slo**ande!
I agree with the Premier to some extent. Yes explore the interisland travel within the BVI. In the case of Anegada a daily ferry route would increase travel for locals. A mid day route as well. Make ot more accesible. Do day cruises to the sister islands direct from the cruise ship/cruise pier. They don’t like to put their tenders out. As a business owner in Amegada I get calls for business from cruise ship passengers but can’t capitalize on them because the current ferry schedule has the ferry leaving Tortola BEFORE the cruise passengers disembark at Tortola and returning to Tortola AFTER cruise passengers are required to board the ship. It would be nice if a ferry could get with a cruise ship and offer Anegada as a shore excursion destination. Try this for starters: one ferry per day Tiesday, Thursday and Saturdays. The Anegadians can also make use of the return trips so that the ferry doesn’t have to stay in Anegada all day.
The pricing must be right , we know that the greedy operators will continue with exorbitant prices that will discourage ridership.
I COULDN’T HAVE PUT ANY BETTER ) BUT I WILL ADD SOMETHING HERE , EVEN SOME OF THOSE TAXI VANS THAT TRAVEL FROM EAST TO TO ROADTOWN AND FROM ROAD TOWN TO EAST IS ACTING LIKE JAWS , THE GOVERNMENT NEEDS TO PUT A FIXED PRICE OR CREATE A BUS SERVICE FOR US POOR PEOPLE BECAUCE WE ARE AT THE MERCY OF THOSE TAXI DRIVERS WITH THEIR TRUM MENTALITY ( WHO SHOULD ADAPT THE PRINCIPLE OF ” LIVE AND LET LIVE ” LOOKS THEY WANT TO BECOME MILLIONAIRES OVERNIGHT
Gratitude must be given to the ferries offering special funeral fares. Thank you!
Please be aware that people are traveling less because things have become even more expensive: food, rent, healthcare, TRAVELING, etc. There is absolutely no price control on ANYTHING, so people out dueling for survival.
This is feedback from your customers telling you that you should change the way you do business now. Find ways to attract new customers and recapture the old ones. The ferries had the monopoly for years…why do you or any business that is affected by competition react negatively? A lot of you operate under a sense of entitlement. It has blinded you so much that you behave unreasonably. Where is your empathy? Minimum wage is a running joke! Why are you not investing more in your employees? I don’t think a lot of you understand the worth of your employees. In all fairness, we need better, not just what is available. ALTERNATIVES! We want to make compelled decisions, not out of habit or convenience, but out of intention and for our comfort.
“once the airport is built”….
What money? What plan? By the time it’s said and done, if ever, costs will be close to $ 1 billion. No way the airport will be able to generate about $6.5 million a month (year round) to pay for itself over 20 years, assuming 5% loans. Meanwhile there’ll still be bad roads, poor electricity, waste disposal issues
SMH
STT will spend $375 million to UPGRADE Cyril King airport over next 3 years , they are well underway w starting with parking facilities. So we will continue to use row boats while our competition upgrades to engines. Thats progress I guess. It should be obvious to us that time is the new currency, the fact that customers prefer to pay a premium to arrive more conveniently should tell us the value placed on time and convenience
The case study for the airport expansion or just general arilift improvents would consider impact on the cross border ferry services. So gov’t is correct to advise as such however, the Ferry companies must also think on strategy. Advancement of the economy will not wait until they are ready. They would do well to return prices to prepandemic prices so as to increase demand, rather than keep prices so high, that a family traveling from the mainland to the BVI sees no advantage of doing the extra leg of travel. Where is the trade-off for the traveller? Think on these things?
What is the feasibility of a ferry service from Tortola to Anguilla or SXM?
Winair and Inter Caribbean are not exactly the epitome of inter region travel.