Canada, Germany, Netherlands told citizens not to visit VI after Hurricane Irma
![The United Kingdom and The Netherlands also issued travel advisories to their citizens about travelling to the [British] Virgin Islands following Hurricane Irma. Photo: Internet Source](https://www.virginislandsnewsonline.com/cache/images/800x_f_flags1.jpg)
Canada, a friendly country to the Territory and where a significant number of tourists visit the Virgin Islands (VI), has on its Foreign Ministry Travel Advisory Page, told its citizens that the storms have caused significant damage to the VI and “some areas are destroyed.” The Canadian Government warned also that medical care, water, and food delivery have been severely affected, so “do not travel to that region.”
Even before the Hurricanes, Canadian Federal Government warned “pregnant women and those considering becoming pregnant should avoid travel to the British Virgin Islands” because of the Zika virus, something that remains on its webpage as of today December 2, 2017.
In addition, the biggest economy in the European Union (EU) Germany has also issued similar warnings on its Government Foreign Ministry Webpage.
It said the recent hurricanes have caused severe damages to the VI and asked their residents to “inquire about the situation before starting a trip.”
VI may not be open for travellers -UK & others
Generally, other EU countries have for the most part given general warnings about the situation following the hurricanes, putting doubt in visitors minds about traveling to the British Overseas Territory of the VI.
Even the United Kingdom, the VI's so called ‘mother country’, made warnings on its Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) webpage, but as of time of publication its warnings had been removed or scaled back to say “security have stabilised.”
However, the FCO is still reporting to the world that “extensive damage was caused to the VI by the hurricanes and that a curfew remains.” This was still in place after a check today December 2, 2017 on their webpage. The travel advisory further stated, “there is widespread damage to infrastructure with a large proportion of homes and buildings very badly damaged. Some roads are impassable or the road surfaces have been washed away…..power supplies have been badly affected. Large areas of Tortola, other islands, and most homes, remain without power or water.”
Other Western counties like France and the Netherlands have also weighed in about travel to the VI and a check today on their Foreign Ministry webpages shows they still raise concerns about health risk from contaminated water that could cause diarrhoea.
A check today December 2, 2017 of the United States of America’s Department of State travel alerts unearthed that its earlier advisory against travel to the VI following Hurricanes Irma and Maria is now removed.
However, it should be of interest that in the USA warnings they never included the USVI or Puerto Rico, two of its Overseas Territories that suffered the same fate as the VI.
VI reacts- Dawson Speaks
A BVI Tourist Board spokesman, Mr Keith A. Dawson, told our newsroom in an invited comment, “it’s not unusual after a major disaster to have countries like the BVI to be put on travel advisories…they have to advise their constituencies about safety conditions and experience and so forth, it’s not a political issue, it has more to do with conditions on the ground and services that would normally be available.”
He said the BVI Tourist Board is working along with the government of the VI and the various utilities and other sectors, hotel proprietors, yacht charter companies and marinas on getting updates and putting together a list of what is opened "and we are putting those things out on our website."
Mr Dawson, a veteran of the tourism sector, said “we have a global network and we are getting our side out..the aim is for the Territory to take action to get back on our feet and then be taken off these travel advisory lists.”
No one from the Premier’s Office or International Affairs Unit could be reached for a comment before publication time.
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28 Responses to “Canada, Germany, Netherlands told citizens not to visit VI after Hurricane Irma”
How did a flood and 2 cat5 hurricanes play into these books though?
However, I am familiar with the Youtube videos on "Economic Hitmen" .....a very rude awakening and timely informational truth.
The situation on the ground is made known to you, if you want to go that is up to you.
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the right foot ware...