How many tourists have visited BVI since December 1?
The BVI public is still waiting to hear the number of visitors who have registered trips to the territory via the new website, BVI Gateway.
BVI Gateway is the online portal which all residents and non-residents must use to register before travelling to the BVI amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. After some eight months of closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the BVI opened its borders to tourists on December 1.
Because the tourism industry suffered greatly due to the closure, many people have been anxiously awaiting official numbers recorded by BVI Gateway as this will give some idea of how well the tourism product is recovering from the global pandemic.
A week after the territory opened, BVI News sought this information from Premier Andrew Fahie. Premier Fahie directed our news centre to senior communication personnel within his government saying he was in “urgent meetings”.
However, we are still awaiting a response with these official numbers.
What is known
Premier Fahie had said a total of 107 guests arrived on December 1 and nearly 200 arrived in the first two days.
However, it is unclear how many of these travellers were residents, work permit holders and tourists.
Limiting factors
When the government first announced the COVID-19 protocols a few months ago, a number of local business owners reported cancellations from tourists who had pre-booked trips to the BVI. This was reportedly due to the stringent rules implemented to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
The government then revised the protocols after much public outcry.
Last week, BVI News reported that a number of travellers to the BVI have taken to social media to express frustration caused by problems they experience when trying to register their trips via BVI Gateway.
Some of the travellers said they had decided to delay travel to the BVI because of the glitches with BVI Gateway.
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instead of focussing on the numbers that got in focus on the number that did not get in due to the system not working.
So we want to know the numbers? Really?
It takes one person to click on the website visits to tell us that. The number of registered tourists matched to those who have entered the territory. Simple
But first we need to train someone to access the site, then make a request to immigration, etc etc etc. but everyone is out on holiday
Carry on
Call round a few hotels and charter companies. Virtually no one is there.
BVI must be the laughing stock of the Caribbean. We have the most ridiculous and elaborate system for entering the Territory. Government cant report on basic matters so much this.
– Tell people they can not come to the BVI via sea on 7 December. How many people all ready booked their flight??
– Travel app that does not work
– Contact tracing that does not in fact contact businesses in the area. Persons find out by word of mouth.
– Not following up with new arrivals in a timely manner for their test results.
– Refusing to re-test someone if the test is positive (one known case of an actual false positive)
Go ahead Government. Keep throwing the money around. Either BVI has been sitting on a pile of money they never talk about or going into massive debt. Since Government has not produced Financial Statements in over 10 years, i am sure we can all be confident that they know what they are doing.
BVI News this is good stuff. Keep on pressing for numbers we need more investigative journalism from you. I have no idea why this information isnt handy already. There are lots more questions that require answers.
Investigative journalism isn’t about asking questions. It’s about getting answers! Anyone can ask the question.
When I read the headline I assumed they had the answer but no. This is BVi where everything is mediocre.
The process has been a pain in the butt. Closing the seaports cost us thousands additional. Then interCaribbean canceled BOTH legs of our flights. Despite all of that. We’ve quarantined for two weeks, and we’re ready to be back in your beautiful country. We’ll gladly follow the rules to keep you all safe. #BVILove
You want transparency? That’s funny!
Please stop all the negative/depressing reporting and start looking at some of the positive stuff that’s being happening around us .
With all that’s going on in the world let’s start making our small changes here at home, or we are going to be consumed with everyone else who does not know that there is a battle raging between good and evil between right and wrong between we as humans thinking for ourselves and people making decisions for us.
Thanks
Government employee?
These protocols are a joke. Its not keeping COVID out its keeping TOURISTS out. Why even open if you make it impossible to get in and enjoy your vacation? They want to lock you up like a dog. Plenty of places in the beautiful caribbean to visit without this nonsense. So long BVIs!
“Some of the travellers said they had decided to delay travel to the BVI because of the glitches with BVI Gateway.”
You have seen the positive comments also haven’t you BVI News? Cause I have!!
Be fair in your reporting. Please.
Try asking health officials for the number of individual visitors they have tested (not the total number of test they have conducted). You won’t get much out of BVIAA.
More than a few of the Health Authority are on vacation leaving less staff to do more work.
This country is a joke.
so my business is tourist driven and is currently running at 1% of normal.
so this month of December i have made less than $1800.00 so far and that doesn’t even cover my staff wages.
the only people making money are the people on boats speeding around people for their covid tests coming and going, the government is losing about $500 per person due to the set up on the outer islands, its a joke. $175 for 2 tests , taxi runs, boat runs???
tomorrow I am going to have to ruin xmas for my staff, there is nothing I can do.
Returned from trip to USVI. I estimate tourism is about 50-60% of normal excluding cruise ships. Trip was good, masks worn in restaurants, no bar seating, charter boats on moorings etc. I’ve just completed Covid-19 vaccination but have no idea how BVI is planning to handle vaccinated tourists.
More than a few of the Health Authority are on vacation leaving less staff to do more work.
It’s easy – how many of the $20 Parks tax, or whatever it is called was collected?
As if this money goes anywhere but someone’s pocket the answer would be easy. AND, there’s only a single port of entry – the airport. How hard is it to calculate….
Or is math really that hard 😉
You people do not know that the rest of the world is on lock down and you still here bloging bs. Politricks.