Tour business loses thousands since COVID-19 but most customers promise return — Gumption
Owner and operator of Sea It Clear Tours, Allington ‘Gumption’ Creque. (Photos provided) Owner and operator of Sea It Clear Tours, Allington ‘Gumption’ Creque on his glass bottom boat. (Photos provided) Owner and operator of Sea It Clear Tours, Allington ‘Gumption’ Creque entertains visitors on his glass bottom boat. (Photos provided)
By Esther Durand, BVI News Staff
Local businessman Allington ‘Gumption’ Creque said despite losing nearly $10,000 in revenue that he would have otherwise earned between May and early June, majority of customers who pre-booked his Sea It Clear glass bottom tour opted to postpone to a later date.
Creque told BVI News that a total of 45 persons had pre-booked for private tours, day-and-night tours, or to go island-hopping before the coronavirus pandemic impacted the entire globe.
“It is very sad and disappointing and the way that it is looking right now, we may not get our first customers until October,” Creque said.
“I am very fortunate still, though. Ninety percent of my customers postponed for a later date. We gave them up to a two-year credit and on top of that, we also gave them an upgrade,” he said, referring to the various tour packages that he has available.
What about Necker Island?
The local businessman has the exclusive rights to visit Necker Island with his customers for an educational tour of the island and its animals that range from lemurs and pink flamingoes to giant tortoises.
The island’s owner Sir Richard Branson, however, announced plans to put Necker up as collateral to secure a £500 million loan bailout from the United Kingdom government to support his Virgin Atlantic airline that is reeling from the pandemic.
When asked if that would potentially affect his ability to visit Necker Island, Creque said he never asked Branson anything about it since news reports on the matter surfaced.
“I just asked how he was doing as an individual. But if I’m not allowed to go to Necker [in the future], I will admit, within the last seven years it was the greatest experience,” he said.
Branson and Creque became close when the British billionaire loaned him $50,000 to kick start his glass bottom tour business after his loan application was turned down by various banking institutions.
In the meantime, Creque said he is earning money through videography while the borders remain closed and tourism remains at a virtual standstill.
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All around the world, the travel leisure entertainment tourism Industry being hit bad. Airlines and cruise lines going bust too …
Seriously – dam* China. Dam* greedy humans. Look the $hi! they caused. But a greedy man really destroys himself.
Good going anyway Gumption! Keep your head above the storm waters. Honest hardworking individuals are always rewarded with goodness.
It will be a while before any tourism is back. People will be very skeptical to go on cruises. The ships are incubators for disease. Maybe towards the end of the year there will be Villa rentals and catamaran rentals. The Chinese are a vial people. They lied about Covid and covered it up. The world needs to stop doing business with China. The BVI buys a lot from China and this must stop. They Chinese need to be punished and they will be.
He is a good soldier to pay taxes and other government fees. What about those other operators who collect from their guest and dont pay government. There need to be more water patrols for those day tippers from USVI who frequent White Bay and Virgin Gorda and dont clear immigration and Customs during the season. A large revenue maker
A decent man. Hope not caught out in the Branson firestorm.
Tens of thousands from the white man who about to sell out our lands at the first sign of trouble? Rest of us did not get any handouts to build us. Tell same man give you another hand out meantime. Rest of us don’t have that chance.
Hater… not sure what you hear about but Mr. Creque work for his own money. He promote, get his clients attention, do a great job and get paid. People like Mr. Creque will survive simply because he doesn’t have the mindset like you. Keep up the good work Mr. Creque and God bless you and the business better coming.
he will be good
my business will lose $500,000 this season but that not all mine, $100k is missing from Lobster Fishermen . $100k to our other suppliers, $100k to employees. $30k to entertainers $50k on maintenance everybody is losing and none of these have bookings that have left any money. We have now been waiting and losing all our staff , I hope by November we are open again and by we I mean the BVI.