Increased arrivals mark the start of 2022/2023 tourist season
Premier and Minister of Tourism Dr Natalio Wheatley has indicated that the territory’s 2022/2023 tourist is off to a strong start.
Statistics comparing the start of this tourist season with the last suggest that visitor arrivals saw a major increase.
“Incoming visitors for November 2022 totalled 17,523 compared to 10,759 in 2021 … Incoming visitors for Dec 2022 totalled 23,427 compared to 18,098 in 2021,” said Dr Wheatley who also noted that considerably more locals returned home during the period.
“Incoming Belongers totalled 5,834 in November 2022 compared to 2,986 in 2021… and incoming belongers totalled 7,223 in December 2022 compared to 4,984 in 2021. We saw a lot of activity, especially during the holiday period,” the Premier stated.
Dr Wheatley noted that the increased arrivals were evidenced at the heavy traffic seen at local air and sea ports.
“The Terrance B Lettsome International Airport was very busy with flights coming in and going out. We saw a lot of jets parked at the airport. The sea port in Road Town was also very busy. The Old Years parties at Trellis Bay, Jost Van Dyke and other venues attracted huge crowds, particularly compared to recent years,” the Premier stated.
He added that Tourism Director Clive McCoy advised that “this year we will continue to see a lot events on the calendar”.
“These are going to get bigger and better as recovery in the global tourism and travel sectors continue following the COVID-19 pandemic and the economic impacts of the Russia-Ukraine conflict,” Dr Wheatley stated.
He added: “The Director has also advised that the BVI Tourist Board will be focusing as well on training in hospitality and other related areas in the industry, especially to improve customer service and visitor experience; and this will be possible as the tourist board has been allocated approximately $10 million in the 2023 budget.”
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Other than taximan, or immediate Road Town related businesses, the average cruise ship tourist does nothing for a bulk of the hospitality related businesses in the BVI. Statistically anything looks good against Covid years – for you to take that narrative and spin it like our economy is back, is disingenuous, and wrong.
The bulk of the hospitality businesses have seen a small net drop in business over last year (Covid restricted) which should scare a lot of people.
Fortunately for Mr. ‘Head-in-the-sand’ there is no interaction with the private sector by this or any other government, so his ignorance remains bliss, as does that of his useless and inept Tourist Board.
Across the board, the overall economy in the BVI is not showing much (if any) improvement over last year, and the balance of this season’s forecast is not looking all that great either!
Increase in visitors and the place look a hot mess? If you drive around the island and visit the beaches especially up beef island, you will see beer bottles all over among other things. People had to complain on Facebook about the overgrown bush before something could have been done and I know the premier and others travel on the same roads.
Lets see some number taking the cruise ship passengers out of the equation. Most folks that I talk to don’t see a great increase in villa rentals.
I am seeing a loss in requests for rentals. About 50% of the requests I get turn into a rental.
FACTS!
Why is the private sector not engaged by this Government?
these numbers are for day trippers coming in on crusie ships not overnight guests, November was much slower than last year and last year was a bumper year for theyachts as everyone had to use it or lose it the time they had due to covid. December was up a lil bit.
You’re right. Let’s take out the “covid” years, 2020-2021, 2021-2022, how did the beginning of this season fair with 2019-2020? Just asking, I really want to know. Also, should any consideration be made for the slow down in the global economy in assessing your particular experience? Hopefully things will get better.
The person in charge of that is woody. He is always at the beef island beach. The only thing he is there for most of the time is the free r**.
I’ve noticed that not much sail boats moved from the moorings this year also. Really didn’t expect them to when tourists can start charters from st Thomas. We will end up loosing most of our charters this way.
The comparison that should be made is with 2016-17. Before we had the run of disasters of one sort or another. i suspect most venues are not back to those levels yet, certainly not in visitor nights.
Separate the visitor numbers into 2 categories:
1) Day trip visitors from cruise ships or STT/STJ
2) Overnight visitors from anywhere.
Thank you
Want numbers up and visitors (and residents) happier? Get the ferry services running back into West End from STT. Damn sight more convenient, less crowded than RoadTown and maybe the west end taxis could benefit from the traffic. They’ve been cut off from a good source of income. RoadTown is way too crowded , C&I is like watching old folks have sex, slow,sloppy and painful to watch.
But Skelton getting rich. We need to get behind this so he alone can get richer.
$10 million is a joke but then they want to act like they are serious about tourism? Most other countries $10 million is far less than just their Marketing budget! You all aren’t serious at all!