Fraser cites hypocrisy in hotel brands coming to BVI
Deputy Premier Julian Fraser used the 2026 budget debate in the House of Assembly to question what he described as hypocrisy in public attitudes toward attracting major international hotel brands to the BVI.
Fraser’s comments followed an earlier presentation by Opposition Leader Myron Walwyn, who argued that the 2026 budget lacked clear revenue-raising measures and failed to position the territory competitively within the regional tourism market. Walwyn pointed to multiple branded hotel developments currently underway across the Caribbean, including projects in Jamaica, The Bahamas, Turks and Caicos, Antigua and Barbuda, St Lucia and the Cayman Islands, while no comparable developments were underway in the BVI.
Against that background, Fraser told the House that the territory could not complain about missing out on high-end resort investment while simultaneously resisting the entry of international brands into other sectors. “I want to point out the hypocrisy in all this,” Fraser said. “We are the same people who resent and dismiss McDonald’s and Kentucky Fried [Chicken] coming to our shores.”
He noted that objections to global food franchises were often framed around fears of displacing local businesses, yet similar concerns were rarely raised when calls were made for internationally recognised luxury resorts to invest in the territory. “But here we are talking about not getting in the Ritz-Carlton and all the other high-end resorts,” Fraser said. “Are we not afraid that they might disenfranchise Maria’s and Romney Penn’s and Elmira Penn’s hotels and all these places?” he asked.
Fraser said the issue was not opposition to development itself, stressing that investment remained a priority for the territory. “I didn’t say that to say that we are not in pursuit of development in the territory,” he stated, describing development efforts as being in “hot pursuit”.
Walwyn, in his budget contribution, argued that the absence of such resorts reflected deeper policy shortcomings, including weak tourism marketing budgets, the lack of an economic development plan and insufficient focus on overnight visitors. He warned that competing destinations were deliberately using branded properties to drive airlift, employment and tax revenue, while the BVI risked losing ground.
Fraser pointed to marina and yachting developments as evidence that interest in the territory existed, but cautioned that mixed messaging could discourage investors while leaving local operators uncertain about their future.
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We have all the top brands in sailing: Moorings, Sunsail, &Beyond, Horizon, etc. Antigua, Bahamas, Jamaica would kill for these.
&Beyond and Horizon are family owned. You mean Navigare and Dream who are destroying the home grown charter industry here in the BVI. But that’s allowed – McDonalds isn’t.
I think you mean Moorings, Sunsail, Dream and Navigare. These are companies owned by investment groups – not home grown in the BVI. They are slowly killing the charter yacht industry here.
Fraser is the man
This man needs to go home. I think there’s a big difference between reputable resorts vs smaller businesses like fast food restaurants. I really don’t see the comparison or rationale for the comparison honestly. People would travel here if there’s a Ritz, Marriott, Hyatt etc. and it benefits the Territory. Nobody is coming to the BVI for a Starbucks, McDonalds, KFC. Fraser needs to walk away from politics, he has done his time.
I don’t see the problem with 1 luxury upscale resort on Tortola. The smaller inns or whatever wouldn’t be affected cause its a different price bracket. Its far different from KFC where the majority of the population would line up in everyday lol
This writer suggests that our politicians are totally missing the point. Why are the main global players not prepared to invest in the BVI, we are one of it not the prettiest location in the entire. Caribbean, why won’t the big players invest, that’s the real question.
@ Common sense
Because it is extremely difficult to do business in the BVI. with all the redtape and the inefficient agencies involved in business support, high net worth investors would much rather take their business to more friendly jurisdictions.
With Willock We Win
No High-End Resorts are welcomed because The Popular Surnames will Not Be Partners unlike Rite Way.
He is the du**est minister in the BVI and should be put in jail.
Marriott used to be here with Signature Hotel at Scrub Islands.
Mark Vanterpool was bringing Raffles here and later Margaretaville both of which failed to materialise but not I am sure for the want of trying.
When the Popular Surname gets the right deal you can be sure we will get big names Kentucky Fried Chicken or whatever whether we want it or not. And whether it is good for the VI and VIslanders or not.
It is Common Sense why the players will not invest. When they read our Trade and Investment and Business Act and see the difficulties with Permits and backhanders necessary and see how Governments have treated Investors in the Past such as at Prospect Reef. Common sense will show you. Big Players want to play but even those that make it here and buy Boutique Hotels like Surfsong and want to set up Sport Fishing businesses, give up when faced with the unfriendly unworkable business environment they encounter.
That is before they realise the roads are bad, water sporadic, tourist board support unpredictable and derelict cars and garbage everywhere and cruise ship hordes given preference and sun loungers where once pristine sand used to be. And that before it becomes clear the workforce they need they are not able to employ when needed on the terms they are happy with.
It is so bad that even VIslanders are not investing unless they have something they need to hide.
No one with common sense would invest in the VI without a complete political reset and a new way of thinking.
The Dirty HOA13 Greedy bunch are not offering that.
Mather was our only hope and he has somehow been lost to the political jungle. Only Myron seems to be able to stay true to his word. Perhaps with Mather gone it is for Walwyn to find some fresh minds and fresh thinking to go with his clear mind.
Flawed as he is Walwyn is the only one of the HOA13 that stands apart. He looks and feels different to the self interested, fortune seeking greedy bunch.
Until we find a new leader and a new direction whoever it may be we will not be finding new investors.
But, we may be left sinking with a new SECRET airport development we don’t want and don’t need and no way to pay for the debt the VI people now have.
Once upon a time we used to look down on St. Kitts our sister island to the East as the underdeveloped s++t hole.
Today, due to great political vision, investment and spending, St. Kitts is the beacon on the hill as an example of visionary leadership and Tola has now the shit hole of the West.
Look wha we come to Lord, all due to.
You need to address the service charge these companies thief from the workers every fort nihht
I really stopped commenting in the news media because of the stupid narratives of well travelled supposedly intelligent people. So is Julian Fraser saying that we should only have local hotels and local food restuarants in the Virgin Islands? This is the reason we are behind Anguilla, Dominica, St. KITTS, Antigua to name a few who see the benefits of welcoming foreign investments. Maria’s and Elmira ‘s hotels have their markets. Bringing in high end hotels will diversify the industry and give visitors to our shores choices. Why our leaders want to keep us backwards marking time? Its small wonder that Julian Fraser hasn’t taken us back to Donkeys only transportation. We spend USD but every other neighbouring Caribbean Island spending EC is ahead of our territory because our leaders have on blinders. No proper healthcare, roads in disrepair, sewage running in the street. I am in my 60’s and it is a disappointment to see our leaders keeping these beautiful Virgin Islands behind the eight ball. For Christ sake I pray government open their eyes and see the big picture. We are at a crawl.