Premier blames ‘negativity’ for BVI’s inclusion on Fodor’s ‘No List’
Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley has suggested that a combination of negative press and bad public feedback led to the British Virgin Islands being included on Fodor’s 2025 “No List,” which highlights destinations that travellers should avoid.
Speaking in the House of Assembly on Thursday, Dr Wheatley revealed that he personally contacted Fodor’s to understand why the BVI had made the list.
“I spoke to the person at Fodor’s myself because I just could not understand their justification for putting the Virgin Islands on that list,” Wheatley said. “The gentleman essentially told me he listened to the House of Assembly and read the news stories published as a result, and he interviewed one or two individuals who were generally negative and perhaps don’t support this administration. That’s how he came to the conclusion that there was a problem,” he explained.
While not naming names, the Premier alluded to a reporter who formerly worked at a local newspaper, who he said may have influenced the decision. He described her as “particularly negative” during her time in the territory.
“She’s now working for Fodor’s, and I don’t know why she has this view of the Virgin Islands, but she does,” Wheatley remarked. “This lady is so negative.”
Wheatley, who also serves as Minister for Tourism, suggested that the negative portrayal of the territory contributed to the BVI’s inclusion on the list. “If you’re really a patriot and you care about the country, would you put your country in peril in that way?” he questioned.
The Premier also pointed out that despite his administration’s positive initiatives, such as sustainable tourism efforts, the BVI was still placed on the list. “I thought it had something to do with sustainability—we were speaking of all these innovative things we were doing and acting upon,” he said. “They put us on the list despite all of the things that we shared.”
Fodor’s report cited infrastructure limitations in the BVI, which were acknowledged by Communications and Works Minister Kye Rymer, who noted that the territory’s current infrastructure cannot support mass tourism. Environmental concerns were also raised, particularly regarding the BVI’s coral reefs, which are vulnerable to climate change, unregulated anchoring, coastal development, and non-reef-safe sunscreens.
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Sound like the consequences of our own politicians actions.
You guys go about doing the complete opposite of everything and you make commons sense seem like a impossible trait for y’all
Either that or you’re playing dumb to funnel monies to your friend instead of improving the country
Then you come to the news with shades stating you can’t nothing wrong with the bvi despite or infrastructure, raising cost of living, taxes on everything increasing, the airport security gatearm been malfunctioning for months now. Kids almost bringing guns to school, criminals as young as 12 having guns and cussing police officers. The list goes on and on and on but you come to the news speaking like you’re delulu or think that we the people are delusional
https://www.transportenvironment.org/articles/europes-luxury-cruise-ships-emit-as-much-toxic-sulphur-as-1bn-cars-study
Extract:
“The premier, Dr. Wheatley–who is also the minister of finance, the minister of tourism, culture, and sustainable development, and recently also became the minister of financial services and trade–said in January a plan would be available this year. However, Dr. Wheatley now tells Fodor’s that a “policy will be released by the 30th of June 2025” and the “National Tourism Strategic Plan” will be introduced sometime within “the second third of 2025 into 2026.”…
Dr. Wheatley further acknowledges the BVIs are operating with “no current overarching policy in place” for tourism except for “policies related to the growth and expansion.” Which is exactly why we’re concerned.”
The Premier is correct. It is a complete misrepresentation of what the article is otherwise know as “FAKE NEWS”. to ressurect a term make famous by a president loved by the readers of this publication. The article talks about what the BVI could BECOME if action is not taken , NOT what it currently IS.
You miss the point. The key quote there is that they don’t have a strategy except for ‘“policies related to the growth and expansion.”
This is a policy of foolishness. Blind simple basic capitalism that more will always be better. The premier and those people up top are not smart about our tourism. They are simple minded. That’s the problem.
Anybody stop to ask how much growth and expansion the BVI can take? We going to do that forever? Until there’s no Virgin Islands left? Just concrete hotels and casinos and shopping malls – which everyone can get anywhere else in the world?
The mindless growth is the problem.
I think that is the point they were making by saying read the article, which essentially says the inclusion on the list is because there is no plan other than a plan for “growth and expansion” and does not say the inclusion of BVI on the list is because of comments from an unnamed journalist.
I like how you are paying attention. Who gave this information to Fodor Mr. Premier?
Is that not a direct quote? What do you mean they listened to the HOA and interviewed one or two people?
Are you not one of those people they interviewed?
Looks like he needs to remember that a liar always needs to remember what is said before, because everything one says always comes full circle.
IS SAYING )> OUR MASTER ) AH CODDA BEEN FURTHER AHEAD , BUT THOSE WHO WANTS MY SEAT , A
Mo**n. The place is a s**thouse. Roads falling apart, raw sewage in the streets, Ft Lauderdale style Spring Break atmosphere, alcohol based tourism, a**hole to elbow chairs on the beach.
BVI needs a good polishing before it loses all its shine.
Cruise ship benefit government and a few families/businesses.
Hear he goes again blaming everyone but himself and this is who we have as leader of the British Virgin Islands.
our master)> is saying – ah couda been way ahead , but those who are jealous of all my achievements and wants my seat , are working evilness on me , so am throwing 8 mil – to protect us from them kinda people
I am a 100% with premiere Wheatley on the BVI been the best place in the Caribbean, and that’s why the UK colonize it and won’t let go no matter how we ball cry water, but it just need a premiere that priorities infrastructure and the people well being above Vybz Kartel and parties and travel, the politicians here are all stooges molded by the UK to continue their exploit, noel Loyd couldn’t be primer because he independent minded or not into political centrism like the present set of both government and opposition we have here, you see the other day Penn went Australia to see the kangaroos? That’s Britain harvesting their mind that if they become leaders they be incline towards the UK, none of these BVI politicians will make ties with Cuba and attend meetings there, only commonwealth instrument set up by our former slave master they attend, they are been infantillised.
NO MR PREMIER! THIS IS ALL ON YOU YOUR DEMEANOR; NONCHALANT; ARROGANT SMALL MINDED;POWER SHOWOFF ATTITUDE AND ACTIONS.
Were/are the reasons for negative
portrayal valid?
Yes!
Accept and acknowledge the truth and make the necessary adjustments if indeed it is an issue
Sowande’s response and shifting blame is placing these VI in
a worse look than us being in the list.
Nothing to do with the puddles of sewage in the streets or the car crunching potholes or the junk strewn everywhere….
All this could have been avoided with a bit of integrity in public life.
@resident Or the dearth of running water, poor state of health care, landfill belching smoke, lack of pump out facilities, rude immigration officers. Fodor’s could have interviewed fifty people and heard the same thing.
You mean fifty whites with the same mental corruption and intentions.
This is their red, white and segregated blue. site.
Ever notice why there some comments always popular? Why is that?
Deviosity is also devilosity.
On this the premier is correct. While she lived here she never had a good word to say about the BVI. She is very vindictive and not a good reporter.
On the contrary, this reporter loved the BVI. She lived here for nearly six years, having arrived immediately before Irma and knowing no one when the place was destroyed, choosing to stay and help rebuild when she could have fled like so many other expats. As a reporter, it’s her job to speak truth to power and help the BVI be better for residents and visitors alike. You can still love a place and see it for its beauty and its flaws. I suggest you look inward and examine why you are so intent on blaming everyone but yourself and why that mentality has perhaps led to this article being written.
No man, this young man is losing it!!!
Whether she is negative or not, that’s the opinion of one person, which to be honest, represents that of 85% of the population. The country has been stagnant for times now, and Sowande’s lip service isn’t getting it closer to the goal post. A true leader accepts responsibility for all, and not point fingers like a pissy-tail child. He is really not fit to be a leader, reading speeches written by someone else does not qualify you for such a post. He deceived the people and continues to do so with his inadequacies. I swear he doesn’t live in the same BVI as we, or must be seeing through rose colored glasses. A d*mn shame!!
For truth there is no deadline. I’ll just rest this here.
No. Nothing wrong with the VI. Just this one powerful bad lady that cannottell a good road or an honest politician when she sees one.
I think the article written by Fodor’s was true and accurate. You said the writer previously lived here and she had a negative view of the BVI. I think your driving around with your eyes closed and nose closed and not in touch with the people of the BVI. Clearly you are travelling far and wide but think the bvi is a gem. Its falling apart like no other island. You should rebuild the infrastructure before you even think of airport of west end ferry terminals. How can a premier not come and say here is the plan a 5 year plan to rebuild the country. Electric, Water, Internet and sewage will all be under the road. Man hole covers will be level with the road surface with DRAINAGE. The power plant, incinerator and water plant will have a back up facility so that there will be no interruption to service. Then in the hurricane season we can have the power on and not if it blows above 40MPH. Please open your eyes to what everyone else is seeing. The works you are doing currently is little more than a bandaid.
ONCE AGAIN, we remain more concerned about how things APPEAR than how they really ARE. And I suppose cries of the people don’t matter either. Got it?
The only thing negative about that report is that it’s TRUE
So once you are negative, even truthfully so, it means that you are against the administration??? Smdh! This guy needs to be removed asap! He is unfit!
Again. ALWAYS someone else’s fault.
That’s the norm in the BVI, it’s always someone else’s fault but our own. You side swipe my vehicle, it’s my fault, you illegally park in front of my driveway or my business, it’s my fault. Anyone park their vehicle illegally in front of my driveway I am not posting anything on line asking who’s vehicle it is, I am going to hook your vehicle with a piece of cable wire to my truck and drag your vehicle to the side of the road. You can pick up your vehicle at the side of the road.
Yes, Hon. Premier, I don’t get it either…
Why would Fodor’s care about a bloated bureaucracy suffering from myopia… Doesn’t effect Tourism.
Why should Fodor’s think that government agencies’ anti-business attitudes would have anything to do with Tourism?
The fact that HM Customs, the Labour Dept. and the Trade Licensing Dept. are all roadblocks to economic development here has no effect on Tourism.
Likewise, the territory promoting itself for ever larger cruise ship visits, is it really that big and issue for Fodor’s when the sole and only benefit of cruise ships is to fill the government coffers?
You’re right Hon. Premier, what’s the problem?
I blame poor government performance. The buck stops with you Dude.
Fodors is a has been organization that no one takes any notice of.
They have visited any BVI hotel for 15 years and the information nin their guide is out of date rubbish.
The British Virgin Islands are stolen lands of another time. Now they want to project themselvesasligitimate owners of them. Please show some receipts, and bring back all those that were murdered in the process and exterminated for their land.
can say that about any place in the western hemisphere, so what’s your point? just say you don’t like the fact that our ancestors purchased land when it was deemed invaluable after they reaped slave labour and we are now the majority owners.
We prefer hito you that is why he is in there.
Don’tget it twisted, we know you do not really own these lands, andthat bar out right invasion, we have certain rights that can be exhausted in our interest.
The BVI included on Fodor’s ‘No List’, whilst the
U.S. Virgin Islands has been named Caribbean Yachting Destination of the Year; the Premier needs to wake up and take responsibility for the mess the BVI is now in!!
Usvi played its card well. While we were busy trying to be popular and noticed by the governor he was busy working to get a big chunk off our pie. Fraser help him out please cause this dude is wayyyyy over his head.
I work for one of the big cruise Ship companies. Over the last 2 years the BVI has received more negative feedback from passengers than any other Island. Poor signage, poor roads, abandoned vehicles, lack of activities on Tortola, and inflated prices for tourists are all mentioned regularly. My Cruise company will soon be publishing its itineraries for 2025/26, I would not be surprised if the BVI drops off a lot of cruises.
Our Premier would have us believe that we are doing the right things. ‘The lady is negative’ Jokes. The Premier needs to truly start paying attention rather than being fed a narrative. For someone who is touted as being educated he is a disappointment. Instead of trying to cast blame all over the place he need to do something meaningful really meaningful for a change.
@cruise passengers
I hope you’re right! The BVI can’t handle the volume of cruise ship traffic it currently has. It would be great if half of them cancelled. An ancillary benefit would be depriving the treasury of revenue, which might convince the government to cut expenses, which they should have done years ago.
Stop using my handle!
We’ve definitely got one Donkey available, everyday braying it’s not my fault , Mr premier if you can’t take the heat get out of the kitchen!
This is not a lie. Now as Premier work to turn the negativity in poaitivity..Get the right people in position.
You are dep****ble, Ning and Eggy would have made better leaders than You. Mr. Wheatley, you don’t have a plan for the prosperity of the Virgin Islands, hence you are a miserable failure. England is happy to have you for * food, they will long be able to say, the masses accepted our choice to mislead you. Do the honourable thing and allow someone certainly better to lead. History will speak of you more favourable than you suffocating the territory. Call a snap election and bow out graciously.
Read the article and it is spot on. Tortola’s roads are terrible. BVI is in Fodor’s list of “Destinations beginning to suffer”. Here is the SUMMARY FROM the FODOR’S article: The emphasis on cruise tourism is keeping tourist dollars out of resident’s hands, and the 13-year wait for a comprehensive tourism plan has left locals skeptical that improvements in development and infrastructure are on the horizon. KEY EXCERPTS: 1) Cruise ship passengers now account for about 72% of total tourist arrivals. In contrast, overnight visitor numbers remain nearly 24% below their 2017 peak of 243,000. This shift is raising red flags, particularly as cruise tourists tend to spend less money locally compared to resort guests, who have historically brought in the bulk of tourism revenue. 2) The BVI’s coral reefs, already vulnerable due to climate change, are facing additional stressors. Lax rules on anchoring, coastal development, and reef-safe sunscreen are contributing to a major coral die-off. 3)Part of the problem is the government is working without a tourism plan–and has been since 2011.