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by pltm
(PLTM) - The tourism industry has been set back some five years, as a result of the unprecedented hurricanes in September of last year.
Premier Hon. Dr. D. Orlando Smith, who has responsibility for Tourism, said that the disasters threw the industry into chaos and diminished the revenue potential as well as the product.
He outlined that overall, visitor numbers recorded at the end of 2017 showed total arrivals of 756,151, a decrease of 387,922, representing a 33% decline.
Cruise visitors decreased by 289,382 passengers, representing a 41% decline from 2016.
“Day trip visitors declined by 5,713 or 33%, and overnight visitors declined by 73,134 or 18%, taking us back to 2013 levels,” Premier Smith stressed.
Touching the charter and bareboat industry, he said that pre-storm there were 3,800 berths at sea, but as of 1st March stood at 1584. Land accommodations pre-storm were estimated at 2,700 rooms and as of 1st March stood at approximately 336.
However, Premier Smith said that looking ahead, the industry is in a rebuilding mode with the charter yacht sector as a recovery leader, being the first sector to rebound in a major way. This, he said, will keep the tourism industry alive in the short term.
“We will begin to see a major resurgence of land-based tourism in the Fall of 2018 as villas and small properties are refurbished and reopened. What does this mean for tourism and for the British Virgin Islands?”
He added, “It means that our revenue stream will be greatly reduced in 2018. It also means less employment in the tourism sector, hence affecting just about all other industries in the British Virgin Islands.”
He stressed that the larger properties will understandably take a longer time to be up and fully operational.
The BVI was poised to continue its record breaking pace of increased tourism arrivals in 2017, Premier Smith said.
“In 2016, the BVI exceeded the 1 million visitor mark for the first time in its history, recording increased arrivals across all sectors – cruise, overnight as well as day-trippers, and recording visitor expenditure in excess of $482 million USD.”
He said, “Madam Speakers, this is no small feat for a Territory the size of the BVI. It is a testament to the ability of our people to punch above our weight.”
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