BVI News

Gov’t withholding tourism strategy to maintain competitive advantage

Premier Andrew Fahie

The BVI Tourist Board has reportedly developed a comprehensive marketing strategy to recover the local tourism sector.

However, Premier and Minister of Tourism, Andrew Fahie said he will not be making that strategy public because he does not want to give away the territory’s competitive advantage.

He made that statement while responding to a question from the Second District Representative, Melvin ‘Mitch’ Turnbull in the last sitting of the House of Assembly (HOA).

Turnbull — whose constituency is a major tourism hub locally — had asked Fahie to provide a copy of the plans the government has undertaken in collaboration with businesses in the local tourism sector as the territory prepares for a full reopening.

Responding to the question, the Premier said: “To divulge the details of our marketing strategy would allow our competitors to know exactly what our plans are and thereby eroding our competitive advantage as the premier leading destination.”

“While the government is an advocate of transparency and accountability and while these two standards of governance and democracy are important, there are times when we have to weigh the security of the government’s operations to avoid divulging our strategies that help us to maintain a competitive advantage in the region,” he added.

He then noted Section 18(6) of the HOA’s Standing Orders (the rules that govern the House), which says ‘a minister may decline to answer a question if publication of the answer would, in his opinion, would be contrary to the public interest’.

Premier Fahie then offered to disclose the government’s tourism strategy to Turnbull privately.

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54 Comments

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  1. WTF says:

    In other words, no plan whatsoever. Government doesn’t control tourism, the private sector does. However, they are dependent on stability and transparency of Government policy. In other words, sharing nothing further kills the tourism product. Unless the plan is to further slaughter tourism, this isn’t a plan.

    Like 78
    Dislike 3
    • Wow says:

      I have never heard any thing so stupid coming from the mouth of a leader of a country. Isn’t 0it always best to capitalised on been a first mover with any strategy?

      Waste of time.

      Like 27
      Dislike 2
    • Doh says:

      Sorry but this guy has to go. Snap election now. March in the streets. Shutdown Roadtown.

      So done with this ID10t

      Like 14
      Dislike 1
    • Rubber Duck says:

      A plan so good they can’t let the completion hear about it?

      Are these guys getting high on their own supply?

      Like 17
    • Rubber Duck says:

      I suspect it’s a continuation of their previous strategy. Keep inventing new arrival, departure, security, environmental, cruise, and other taxes, treat them like criminals on arrival, and if tourists innocently transgress one of your stupid rules, fine them big amounts or jail them for a week or two in the Hell Suites.

      Welcome to BVI.

      Like 10
  2. Hmmmm. says:

    Really? This man take us for fools? Just say you making s**t up as you go man!!!

    Like 67
    Dislike 1
  3. Please says:

    Government withholding tourism strategy because there is none, how can they reveal what they do not have?

    Like 58
    Dislike 1
  4. heckler says:

    Don’t fall for this gimmick people because the VIP don’t have a plan

    Like 39
    Dislike 1
  5. strupes says:

    Pure bull if yo ask me….Clueless, planless and careless

    Like 37
    Dislike 1
  6. oh boy says:

    This guy really take us for a pack of a**es

    Like 39
    Dislike 1
  7. Lb says:

    What a crock of doo-doo. You have a director that has no real experience in Tourism, a chairman that is a daycare owner, a junior minister of Tourism that is a poet and a minister of Tourism who father drove taxi. Blind leading the blind. You have no plan. There is nothing to keep secret to keep no competitive edge. We lost competitive edge 6 months ago. Ferries coming with 20 persons in it daily. While St. Thomas doing hundreds daily.

    Like 58
    Dislike 4
    • EU Citizen says:

      Having a father driving a taxi for a living is not bad at all! Any honest work is good!
      Everything else I agree with.

      Like 11
      Dislike 1
      • LB says:

        The point of the taxi is that it is the only claim to any link to Tourism knowledge at all. Not whether taxi is a good job or not. Sheesh

    • X says:

      So what if his father drove a taxi?

      Like 4
      Dislike 2
    • @Lb says:

      I worked with the Director of Tourism for many years and can tell you he has plenty of experience and drive. He’s taken on the role at an unbelievably difficult time but I have every confidence he will give it his all.

      • LB says:

        He has no experience. Stop talking puss. He was film Commissioner and salesperson. No experience in managing people nor marketing. Wasnt even a manager there nor hold a senior position any place. What drive? He has no achievements in any position he ever had. No accomplishments he can talk about. Just watch his walk and you know he has no drive nor purpose.

  8. the watcher says:

    hahhahahahahah….a secret strategy for all to buy into!! Incredible….keep drinking the koolaid voters!

    Like 22
  9. No surprises here says:

    Why are we surprised at this? We elected a government that showed us from day one that they had no plans for anything. Their plan was to bad mouth the previous administration to get power. That was all they did. Why do we expect that they will have a plan now when they were not required to show us one before election? Why are we acting surprised?

    Like 24
  10. No shame says:

    If incompetence was a person, the picture above is exactly what it would look like. I am ashamed for Andrew but he clearly has no shame whatsoever.

    Like 25
  11. competitive advantage says:

    Psssst, Its super secret plan but it goes like this, Because it is so expensive to get fees from tourists, we are going to just mug them outside the airport and ferry terminal. As most of our in-house criminals are off smuggling cocaine we only have 7 local muggers available so we can only allow 50 people per day via the ferry.

    And you thought we didn’t have a plan!

    Like 17
  12. PT9 says:

    Day in Day out Andrew Fahie shows that he is not a leader what a let down to all the people who voted for him.

    Like 20
    • 1st district says:

      Sadly A. Fahie won the his district with approx. 700 votes yet he rules approx. 25,000 BV islanders. I submit that only the 4 victorious ‘at large’ candidates should be eligible for Premier NOT the victorious district candidates!

      • @1st District says:

        That’s how elections work in most countries.

        The UK the Prime Minister is an MP whose is chosen by their party to lead. Not the voting population.

        The US the popular vote means nothing. The president is determined by the electoral college.

        Like 1
        Dislike 1
  13. Ugh says:

    Its effing private sector that provide the tourism product and if don’t do our jobs well there is no tourism…has the TB discussed or communicated this plan to anyone who isn’t in the North Sound Group??

    Like 13
  14. NO PLAN says:

    This is your elected leader, ‘no-plan’ Fahie.

    Like 19
  15. NB says:

    You joking right? April fool’s day done gone long time.

    Like 14
  16. Voter says:

    HOA is now comedy hour.

    Like 17
  17. SMFH! says:

    When you think they can’t get any worst! We are hiding our tourism strategy from the ENTIRE INDUSTRY that is on life support and saying it’s being done to protect the said industry. How does the tourismt industry start planning for reopening without knowing the Government strategy? Protocols? Timelines? Where is the Jr. Minister of Tourism? Still hunting Easter Eggs and reading poems? Now they are offering free food for vaccines. What is next with this clown cart? Free Disney World tickets for wearing your scooter helmet? I swear to GOD I have never seen this level of incompetence in all my years.

    Like 31
    Dislike 1
  18. 2cent says:

    Fahie’s little secret will keep tourists away. How can tourists plan when they have no clue what’s going to happen. You’re about to blow the winter 2022 season too.

    Like 19
  19. OVERDRIVE!!!!!!!!! says:

    A “marketing strategy” so good…. OMG! It can’t be released to the public…, others will steal it.

    Fine, I’ll give everyone a taste.
    “BVILove to the MAX!!!!!”

    Don’t worry, even though nobody will know the secret marketing strategy we’ll talk about it again next year.

    Like 17
    • your aiming low says:

      After $100k consulting project and a tourism steering committee the super , super secret new strategy is, wait for it…..

      BVILoving – in comic sans and translated into North Korean.

      Like 15
  20. 1st district says:

    Them SO GOOD AT TOURISM THAT AN ON LINE WEB SITE HAS NOW TAKEN OVER THE ADVERTISING JOB OF THE ONLINE BVI TOURIST BOARD. COMING IMMEDIATELY IS ANOTHER ONLINE RATING COMPANY NOW RATING US AGAINST THE USVI….!! WHAT AH SHIXX! BVI GONE BACK TO THE 60″S IN TOURISM. SHAME CLUELESS VIP!!

    Like 14
  21. Edward Teach says:

    In other words there is no plan. Meanwhile, the citizens of BVI can’t make a living. USVI is taking all the business. It’s time BVI fully opens with no restrictions to those who are vaccinated.

    Like 14
  22. unbelievable says:

    The moment this “phantom” plan goes public EVERYONE will know anyways. Until then, we just deal with customers who want to come to visit us but book elsewhere because we have no clear rules on what is going on.
    When we will open, what about children who are not old enough to be vaccinated? What about water taxis when can they come in?

    Like 13
  23. Stewwww says:

    This man take ppl for idiots
    I won’t comment ant further

    Like 14
  24. Hey says:

    Carry go bring come

  25. shannocks says:

    MALARKY, BULL SHIGGIDY, HOG WASH, UTTER RUBBISH

    Like 12
  26. VI gyal says:

    Competitive to who, what and when? All the other Caribbean Islands been open and accepting of tourists from last year. Many of them have amenities and packages that are welcoming to the tourist. What are you really saying Premier?

    Like 13
  27. Curious? says:

    Would any other territory even want a plan thought up by this guy??

    Like 12
  28. V4 says:

    The marketing strategy is to not tell anyone, the mans a genius NOT

  29. Smh says:

    Bunch of f**t.

  30. BVI says:

    Lets keep it a secret and vote foolish party out of power

  31. Ting to talk says:

    I am sure places like Turks and Caicos, St. Thomas, St. Martin, Bahamas, Cayman with booming Tourism is on their Island Highest point waiting for BVI to roll out their DEAD Tourism strategy to catch it first. Smh. Dont let them get it at all Fahie keep it.

    Like 10
  32. The Hooded Claw says:

    Do we need the commission of inquiry to request this secret Tourism Strategy by exercising its “powers of compulsion”?. These VIP jokers are clueless lol

  33. 2cents says:

    Personally I think the plan is to cause all the tourist properties into foreclosure and for the government to buy them up cents on the dollar

  34. WOW says:

    Leave it to this well organized site to bash the Government

    Dislike 12
  35. Anonymous says:

    the government is an advocate of transparency and accountability? While all the premier do is l**? How is there transparency without honesty?

    Either you have no plan, or want to place a plan to thief more money.

    We need to get these elected f**ls out NOW! Start thinking about who deserve them chair cause….Can nobody have integrity and decency to lead this country? Sign a petition, march. storm to the government offices, SOMETHING! And please, no more party vote. Vote who deserve it. Throw away all the parties. Lets end that nonsense.

  36. panna man says:

    The premeir and his friends got be drinking rum or something dem 10x worst than Ndp.

  37. panna man 2 says:

    i thougt we were going into overdrive? Oh i forget dem aint got no plans .

  38. Krustykrab says:

    Quick poll: Thumbs up if you think they need to be removed from office.

    Like 42
  39. Seriously says:

    You don’t have to reveal every single aspect of the marketing strategy but you should give your industry the overall aim and objectives . This has always been done by manner of presentations and discussions with the entire tourism industry.
    It’s not a secret formula for a product , c’mon man !

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