The Virgin Islands saw a slight decline in cruise numbers in 2024 compared to 2023 due to cruise ships pulling out over servicing issues and weather. Photo: Internet Source

Director of the BVI Tourist Board and Film Commission Mr Clive L. McCoy believes a brand refresh is necessary for the Territory. Photo: GIS/File

Partnering with properties like Peter Island Resort has increased the Virgin Islands’ marketing ability across the world. Photo: Peter Island Resort

According to the Standing Finance Committee (SFC) Report, Mr McCoy told the committee the VI needs to “get its standards to the level where it was second to none, and that a brand refresh this year was necessary”.

He explained that for the last 15 years, the Territory’s brand had been the same and it was time to “let the world know that the BVI was here to play in a big way”.

Mr McCoy also said the Tourist Board’s budget reflected the need to rebrand and wanted to ensure there was accountability and transparency for “all the funding that was given”.

Mr McCoy added that the Tourist Board believes the objective of seeing over one million guests to the VI could be met.

He said a “serious marketing push” and a “brand refresh” were therefore necessary to ensure that overnight guest numbers, specifically, were where they needed to be.

VI tourism has rebounded- McCoy

Mr McCoy also told the SFC that he was of the view that tourism in the VI had rebounded, though not fully, but was “looking up” following the effects on it by the 2017 hurricanes and the COVID-19 Pandemic.

He made this conclusion based on the increase in overnight visitors for 2024 from 2023 in every month except one and the slight decline in the cruise numbers, especially in the summer months, where some of the cruise ships pulled out because of servicing issues and weather.

“With new properties like Peter Island Resort and Biras Creek coming back on stream, we can only imagine how many more guests we will be having come to the Territory in the next few years. Having them as partners also increased our marketing ability across the world,” he told the committee.

Mr McCoy also told the committee a visitor perspective survey for the Territory was incorporated as it related to tourism.

“The BVI was one of the top destinations in the Caribbean that was being sought after for the next 2 or 3 years. However, the survey revealed that persons were hearing about the BVI mostly through word of mouth and with families,” he added continuing, “While this was good and it spoke to the product that we had to offer, it said that we had much more to do in terms of marketing.”

One of the ways the Ministry of Tourism is hoping to build on the Territory’s tourism product and finalisation of the Tourism Plan is through the two-day Tourism Summit currently being held at Peter Island Resort.