Get Set! Cruise arrivals expected to surge
Residents who earn an income from tourism are being told to prepare for a busy cruise season as the BVI is expected to see a surge in cruise arrivals in the coming months.
According to the minister responsible for the territory’s ports, Kye Rymer, the BVI is expected to get some 417 cruise calls in the 2022/2023 season which runs from December to April. He said 79 of those cruise calls are expected to spend multiple days on the sister islands.
Rymer said residents need to understand the huge impact cruise arrivals have on the economy and livelihoods of many residents. He urged residents to continue showing courtesy to cruise visitors as this plays a part in encouraging them to return to the territory.
“The cruise industry benefits our economy with employment and entrepreneurial opportunities. The Cruise Line Industry Association’s State of the Industry 2022 report shows that every 24 cruise guests the industry books equates to one job,” Rymer explained.
“Just to give you an idea of the amount of money that is to be earned from the cruise industry: In 2016, Business Research and Economic Advisors estimated that the BVI economy earned $55 million from cruise passenger spend based on 700,000 passengers and an average spend of $78 per passenger per day,” Rymer added.
He said in the upcoming seasons, the BVI is expected to earn some $75 million from cruise arrivals because the average passenger spending has increased from $78 to $107.14.
Rymer also revealed that some new cruise lines are confirmed to make calls to the BVI in the in the 2023
“The Ritz Carlton Virgin Collection and Virgin Cruises are now slated for the 2023/24 season.”
The global cruise industry took a major hit during the COVID 19 pandemic. However, cruise operators are expecting the industry to recover fully in 2023.
The BVI’s cruise sector also suffered during the COVID 19 pandemic. But Minister Rymer said over the past year, cruise arrivals reached 70 per cent of pre-pandemic volumes.
Copyright 2024 BVI News, Media Expressions Limited. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or distributed.
No cruise ship spends days in the BVI. None overnight in the BVI. Lies.
While we welcome all tourists to these beautiful islands I am so ashamed of the condition of the roads that they have to be driven on. Mr. Rhymer, please … please…I beg you to please… fix the roads. Its just a shame that Dr. Smith did not take advantage after the storms in 2017 to have the UK fix every last one of them from back then. Andrew got in and he was no better …just a bunch of cursing the UK instead of working with them. May God help us.
PS: fixing the roads also mean putting in decent sidewalks.
We who live in the BVI are ashamed of our roads and garbage disposal, the bushy roadways and more. I know that some tourists may want to see what third world countries look like and the BVI is certainly looking that way presently. Do we really want this? 20 years ago the BVI looked better than it does today. You cannot blame this situation on hurricanes and COVID only. You must blame the people elected who feel that everything must be done by petty contracts. Proper work never gets done this way. We need to stop this madness and focus on efficiency and financial accountability. Get more qualified professionals in the various departments – W&SD etc. If we do not have qualified locals then do pay for qualified non-locals to assist us. Stop paying for work that never gets done! The BVI can do better! If we are to encourage tourists to visit the BVI then we must have the infrastructure to boost the attraction. We must have road safety in place – good roads etc. And stop the crazy driving – scooters and other motorists alike.
This does not need to be Bermuda which is almost too perfect but we must allocate funds to clean up our beautiful Island. It is embarrassing honestly and it takes everyone to make a difference. Starts at the top though so lets see it happen.
Must be some $50 hookers keeping busy. $50 for the girl, $17 gubmint tax and $11 for a couple beers.
Cab drivers. That’s it. These people don’t eat here, are too cheep to tip, and buy only crappie t-shirts.
The real tourism revenue comes from villa rentals and bare boat Charters. Those people fly here, spend the night, buy grocery, eat I restaurants, buy lots of drinks and tip.
The BVI needs to shed itself from these disease carrying cruise ships. We need to find ways to get more real tourists that spend money all over the economy. The cruise ships are just a sham to get customs duty from. They do little for the BVI economy.
From This month until May. SK schedule ram, busy, with good ships. We can do better. We are slowly falling back..
The ships that come here are no name brand,Norwegian comes and spends half a day.
Government agreed with Disney to pay nothing for children.
The only people that make money are the tour operators
No tourists are interested after the stigma left from the Head of the country being arrested in USA!
Bad, bad for business!!