Tourism must grow beyond peak season – Hodge Smith
Junior Minister for Tourism and Culture Luce Hodge Smith has called for continued innovation and resilience in the BVI’s tourism sector, warning that the industry cannot afford to become complacent amid global uncertainties.
Speaking on Virgin Islands Voice, Hodge Smith said the BVI must plan for the long term and remain active both locally and regionally in safeguarding its tourism product.
“We have to be able to look down the road and say, ‘we do heavily depend on tourism’. We do gain a lot of revenue from our tourism industry,” she said. “We have to look at all aspects of the industry… things are happening, and it’s a threat to us, but we can’t sit on our laurels. We have to continuously be abreast.”
According to Hodge Smith, the government is working to eliminate the concept of a “slow season” by encouraging year-round tourism, with the annual Emancipation Festival positioned as a major cultural draw to help boost visitor arrivals during the summer period.
“The festival, of course, is one of our major attractions that we could use to increase our visitors during that time,” she explained.
Hodge Smith stated that the BVI is actively collaborating with regional partners, such as the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) and the Caribbean Tourism Organisation (CTO), to address tourism-related challenges and secure the sector’s future.
“These two organisations that I interact with on behalf of the Premier, we’re actively looking at ways in which we can collaborate when it comes to tourism,” she said. “The CTO just released their reimagined tourism plan for 2025–2027… There’s also the OECS [which] recently released the OECS Common Tourism Policy.”
She also confirmed the BVI will host the CTO’s annual Human Resources Conference in October, with over 100 delegates expected to attend. The conference will include training opportunities for local tourism professionals.
“We will be working with the Caribbean Tourism Organisation this year… and we are going to be hosting their annual HR conference,” the Junior Minister said. “The opportunity will be for us to take advantage of the facilitators that are going to be coming locally, regionally, internationally, to help to train our people as well.”
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If we are expecting Luce to help grow our tourism industry then we are doomed.
I am not sure that putting our very poor imitation of a festival at the top of the list of attractions in the BVI is not a good idea. More persons leave the BVI for festival than come in – and most of those that stay are those that cannnot afford to leave. Does anybody actually come in for festival.
No Sh!* Sherlock! What’s your plan beyond identifying a problem?
If you are expecting people to come to the BVI for X Rated Festival good luck.
She knows nothing about the tourism industry.
You are doing an excellent job repeating the talking points someone gave you Hon. Smith What next?
Doesn’t she realize that many establishments close from August Festival for a few months (it’s hurricane season!), so that staff can go home for vacation & repairs are done to buildings?
I agree with Hon Lady Minister. Can I suggest we start offering hurricane package deals from August to December
When on earth will be get away from this peak and low season mentality. Make the country open for tourists all year round. Is BVI the only destination that has hurricanes and storms? No it is not. Let get rid of this mess. While no ships are in BVI ports, St. Maarten, St. Kitts, St. Lucia and St Thomas etc are packed. We need to stop limiting ourselves and get out of our lazy mentality.
People travel all year round. If a storm is approaching there are steps to take in such an event, if not, let life continue.
I have said it
1st is HURRICANE season from 1 June to 30 November then 2nd the rest of the year! Unless TB can 100% shield the BVI from Hurricanes then 99.9% of ALL tourists will avoid the BVI during hurricane season and travel somewhere else on earth.
Just to show you how less these people is ayo vote for, we talking about a tourism plan since Andrew was premier and it still don’t have one. Andrew get hold since 2022 we in 2025 now still nothing. I guess that coming in 2027 too just like the incinerator and the admin complex.