More rooms needed for thousands coming for return of Xmas in July
The Christmas in July event which seeks to bring an influx of Puerto Rican tourists into the Virgin Islands will return after a two-year hiatus but the BVI Tourist Board’s Puerto Rican market representative Tommy Dardet says there is a need for more rooms to accommodate the number of people expected to arrive for the four-day event.
Dardet said the level of interest shown for the event by Puerto Ricans has been tremendous and Virgin Islanders can expect them to come in droves and take over the territory between July 22 and 25.
Recently, the BVI Tourist Board in partnership with VIVO Resort in Puerto Rico hosted a BVI full moon party which more than 1,200 guests attended. Dardet said the event was used to market the Virgin Islands to Puerto Ricans.
“It is an event that we do to promote the destination, make people excited about the British Virgin Islands [and], get people to plan a vacation here. We offer information, and we raffle prizes and stays. We have a lot of industry partners here,” Dardet said.
“We always have a band from the BVI coming. This year, it was Too Smooth. We have a chest, we serve a menu that is a reminiscence of the BVI food. We have officials from the BVI participate and so it is a really fun event that pulls together the people of the BVI and people here in Puerto Rico that are BVI fans,” the Puerto Rican market representative said.
Thousands coming
Dardet said the Christmas in July event, which is held on Virgin Gorda, will see thousands of people coming and he needs more rooms to accommodate the expected visitors.
“If you still have any properties available, let me know because I am going crazy trying to place people in marinas, villas, hotels and resorts because everything is getting very, very full for the months of July. So, be prepared because the Puerto Rican navy and a lot of Puerto Rican BVI fans are coming to the BVI this summer,” he added.
Meanwhile, in his maiden overseas trip as Premier of the territory, Dr Natalio Wheatley attended the full moon party and expressed his excitement about the expected return of Puerto Ricans to the territory.
“I want to thank Tommy and the whole team for organising this BVI full moon party which is really a celebration of the relationship between the Puerto Rican people and the Virgin Islands people. It is a very strong relationship. We are so close together and this event tonight is a celebration of the return to travel after two years of this pandemic,” Dr Wheatley said.
“I know that this event has not been held for the last two years and we are so excited to be here for this event celebrating our relationship. We look forward to welcoming you with the Puerto Rican navy coming to the BVI and we look forward to welcoming you next month for Christmas in July,” the Premier added.
Dr Wheatley was joined by Director of the Tourist Board Clive McCoy, and he also shared the same sentiments as the Premier regarding the imminent return of Puerto Rican travellers to the BVI.
Copyright 2024 BVI News, Media Expressions Limited. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or distributed.
Love this….Puerto Ricans knows how to party. And they do so in peace and harmony. Welcome back!
Your comment is a bit of an oxymoron.
No disrespect but “Puerto Ricans” and “in peace”??!!!
This brings so little to the Territory. The Puerto Ricans come on their own boats, bring their own food, bring their own liquor and bring their own music. The only thing they bring the BVI is their trash. Is the BVI going to charge each one an environmental fee of $10 or is that just reserved for the whites? Looking forward to seeing the Puerto Ricans s**t up Cane Garden, White Bay and Virgin Gorda. Don’t forget that the PR’s all fish. They will be stealing the Territory’s precious marine life for dinner. Lmfao
Remember, they were also first to our shores after Irma with food, water and relief supplies. Contrary to popular belief, many of them do indeed stay on land and I often spot them at bars and restaurants around the islands. I for one will not speak badly of our Puerto Rican friends.
Not so Mr. This, these people spend lots of money in the BVI, not only for this event but anytime they visit here. Not all Puerto Ricans have their own boat but rather do charter boats here in the BVI and provision here and use the bars and restaurants. As a freelance Captain I have chartered many times with Puerto Ricans and I see first hand how much money they spend and it is a lot…they will spend upwards of 10,000.00 dollars to charter a boat for a week and then add provisions, Captain’s fee, mooring and docking fees, bars and restaurants, fuel, etc, etc……all the while providing much needed jobs for locals if they so choose to work in the yachting industry….
Once again an idiotic out of touch minister spouts complete non sense. Xmas in July has next to no impact on hotels. They stay on their own boats.
They better bring their own boats, if chartering @ moorings you’ll spend a full day trying to convince the staff to process the charter for agreed time of departure. Poorly run and managed staff…chartered back in April lackadaisical employees…charter a boat for departure on Friday 12Noon ….staff dragging around all day..on several breaks…our multiple charters and other charters we met at the docks were not ready until end of day …lost full day sitting in marina. Poor Attitudes…you’d think a destination that depends on tourism would make an effort…not here…maybe they don’t need the jobs or the tourists. Take your money to St. Thomas!
DONE!
And Vg Port STULL CLOSED to international traffic. Shameful
Most PR visitors bring their own floating rooms so no need for rooms on land. Alternatively they charter a yacht in July because Christmas in July is a beach/water based event!
Also please open VG ports to international travel and ditch the 48 hr. negative test requirement. Other wise it will only attract hundreds of PR visitors NOT thousands to VG.
They bring their own food and alcohol.
They share all their food and alcohol with locals who attend.
Will they be harassed by government official #1 and his group ???
Why would they need rooms if they come by boat?…Look at the photo and tell me if they need rooms?….All they need is ice, electrical power and a garbage collector
Uhm.. If I come by boat with someone and the intention is to go rent a hotel room because there isn’t much space then what?… What if I don’t come by boat?…
Mr blind man, maybe some of them are staying on Virgin Gorda where they will not need a boat…
tell me is the VINO cartoon necessary? why didn’t they draw Andrew Fahie behind bars or on the plane with drugs money, that is true!
Every Bar on every Beach makes lots of money when Puerto Ricans are in town..These people who never been to a beach restaurant or work on one. Need to stay quiet. This is good for the economy..
how many covid19 cases we have??…
SoloLocoLobo
Pictures like this do nothing to attract valued visitors.
The “PR Spanish Armada” has been invading the Virgins fir years.I love the Ricans.
I had a Boatyard on St T.
Much hauling and repair on their vessels. They’re honest happy and pay in Yankee Dollars. Ricans area great on their own Island. So PR ain’t got beaches?
When your in the VIs just remember-“To All You Virgins, Thanks For Nothing!”
???☠️??
Shhhhh, don’t let everyone know about the Puerto Rican event otherwise more countries would want to do the same….let’s keep this Puerto Rican event one of “Nature’s Little Secrets…”
Puerto Ricans are good people and they are our friends. They do spend money when they come to the BVI and they also look out for us when we go to PR.
Dang, after reading all these comments…is anyone welcome here? You people hate just about everyone. Including one another! No wonder nothing good ever happens to this place. Seems like an awful lot of people with really ugly hearts and minds. I guess some just don’t have any shame at all!
I have to tell you from personal experience that Puerto Ricans do leave a lot of money in the BVI. Facts not opinions:
I have been visiting the BVI from PR on a boat since 1976; at least twice a year. I also owned a sleep aboard boat for 25 years, from 1994 to 2019. Puerto Ricans travel to the BVI in 4 different ways. 1. In large boats with full accommodations, these bring food and drinks, but they also spend in marinas, repairs, boutiques, restaurants, bars, fuel, water, customs fees, entry taxes and liquor. (These leave about $5,000 during each trip) 2. In smaller boats, without accommodations; they spend in the same areas as mentioned above, plus hotels, villas and taxis. (I did a trip like this in April with 6 people and we spent about $12,000 in one week, we rented hotel rooms, villas, cars, dined out every night, did repairs on the boats, etc.) 3. We Charter boats, day boats, dinghies, and sleep aboard boats, mostly Catamarans etc. ($12,000 to $16,000 per trip) And 4. We fly over and stay in hotels, villas, and Air B&B… (This investment will vary depending on the accommodations) Puerto Ricans travel in groups, when one family unit travels in a boat there is always someone else in the group that flies over and is picked up in Trellis Bay. Right now, for the days of Xmas in July from July 21 to July 25, Nanny Cay Hotel and Marina is FULL, Bitter End Marina is FULL, Scrub Island Hotel and Marina is FULL, Leverick Bay Marina and Hotel is FULL, Village Cay Hotel and Marina is FULL, Virgin Gorda Yacht Harbor is FULL, etc. Silver Airlines and Cape Air are SOLD OUT on fights from SJU to EIS on July 22 and 23.
Puerto Ricans were the FIRST to help the BVI after Hurricane Irma, never forget this….
THATS THE WIGGED ONE’S TOOL SINCE HE HAD THE HOA AS HIS PLAY PEN, AND SINCE HE BLASTED OUT ,THATS HOW HE GETS HIS GROOVE ON ALONG BLOGGING UNDER DIFFERENT NAMES TO PROMOTE HIS CHILDISH VINDICTIVE MENTALITY , WHICH HE ENJOYS , OH AND HIDING CERTAIN BLOGGS TO HIDE THE TRUTH FROM OUR PEOPLE ,/ HE IS VERY FAMOUS FOR THAT ?
I’m from PR and we just spent close to $20,000 over a week in the BVIs, similar like we do almost every year. Also have many friends that do the same. We love the BVIs as we consider them family. Thank you for the hospitality over last week and looking forward to come back.
AS A Puerto Rican THAT’S BEEN COMING TO THE BVI FOR THE LAST 55 YRS AND OWN A BOAT, I CAN TELL YOU WE DO SPEND A LOT OF MONEY ON MARINAS, HOTELS, RESTAURANTS, BARS, CHARTES, FUEL AND MORE! IN MY CASE IT’S MY “SECOND HOME” AND I RESPECT IT, CARE FOR YOUR ISLANDS AND MAKE SURE OTHERS DO TO. I’VE PERSONALLY BEEN IN BVI AFTER 2 HURRICANES TO HELP FRIENDS AND UNKNOWNS, AS OTHERS HAVE DONE TOO.
I COME TO THE BVI’S 4 TO 5 TIMES A YEAR AND TREASURE EVERY TIME.