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Late & untimely gov't funding caused missed opportunities - BVITB 2015 Report

The work of the British Virgin Islands Tourist Board (BVITB) was hampered in 2015 due to limited resources and late subventions, according to its 2015 Annual Report. Photo: VINO/File
The British Virgin Islands Tourist Board (BVITB) Annual Report 2015 was laid in the House of Assembly on June 13, 2017 by Premier and Minister of Finance Dr The Honourable D. Orlando Smith (AL). Photo: VINO
The British Virgin Islands Tourist Board (BVITB) Annual Report 2015 was laid in the House of Assembly on June 13, 2017 by Premier and Minister of Finance Dr The Honourable D. Orlando Smith (AL). Photo: VINO
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI- The British Virgin Islands Tourist Board (BVITB) ushered in 2015 with great expectations and was poised to continue its work on the marketing and public relations front as well as product development and industry training, according to its 2015 Report laid in the House of Assembly on June 13, 2017 by Premier and Minister of Finance Dr The Honourable D. Orlando Smith (AL).

However, due to limited resources and late Government funding (subventions), the BVITB, a statutory body, was faced with many challenges.

According to the Report, the BVITB’s budget "remained basically flat 2014 to 2015" but the entity “continued its thrust” at positioning the Virgin Islands in the marketplace as well as improving the tourism product by concentrating on customer service training and infrastructure development in conjunction with the Ministries and Departments responsible.

It said too it was able to take advantage of a supplementary grant at the end of 2014 and refreshed the brand image and messaging for “destination BVI.”

Changing paradigm & mindset challenging

According to the Report, “changing the paradigm and changing a mindset in a time of challenge is not easy but we have no choice. BVITB has delivered and could deliver more had additional resources been given. We have been able to deliver a cumulative increase in overnight arrivals from 2012 to 2015 close to 10%. Cruise arrivals and day trippers were also seeing an upsurge.”

One of the other challenges faced by the BVITB in 2015 was that of late and untimely subventions “which caused us to miss the window of opportunities and not be able to take advantage of certain tactical marketing campaigns and to execute product development initiatives in particular, initiatives that were particularly dependent on financing from other government agencies.

At times, in order to ensure completion of some initiatives, the BVITB said it was forced to fund the initiatives themselves or work harder to secure assistance from the private sector as well as service groups.

“We will continue to be vocal about matters that affect tourism in the British Virgin Islands and will continue to work strategically and professionally to ensure the sustainability of this vibrant and often unappreciated economic pillar,” the Report stated.

9 Responses to “Late & untimely gov't funding caused missed opportunities - BVITB 2015 Report”

  • confused (20/06/2017, 18:07) Like (7) Dislike (2) Reply
    I'm so sorry to ask this but isn't the Tourist Board a Statutory Body? If so what is meant by stating that they were....."forced to fund the initiatives themselves or work harder to secure assistance from the private sector as well as service groups".... It sure sounds like they are a typical non revenue generating government department? And what is meant by stating that they ...." will continue to be vocal about matters that affect tourism in the British Virgin Islands and will continue to work strategically and professionally to ensure the sustainability of this vibrant and often unappreciated economic pillar" 'tis who supposed to do it? If a statutory body bawling about not being able to do what they were created to do without governments continued heavy support then best they be relegated to a gov dept then 'cause I don't get it. Financial services is the other pillar and we don't see this piss being written about them unable to do their jobs. Unacceptable Somebody please explain.
    • 2+2= (20/06/2017, 20:08) Like (5) Dislike (1) Reply
      You are missing the point. Govt is suppose to fund this body so it can do its job. If it was turned into a "department" tourism would go down the drain. Imagine advertisers waiting months to get paid by a typical govt department; imagine it taking months to make a simple decision; imagine hiring 10 people just to move a piece of paper between two desks that are next to each other. Govt please fund the TB. TOURISM EMPLOYS MORE PEOPLE THAN FINANCIAL SERVICES. YOU WILL ONLY GET OUT WHAT YOU PUT IN, SIMPLE.
    • @ Confused (20/06/2017, 20:17) Like (0) Dislike (1) Reply
      blah blah blah blah blah blah
    • Binocs (21/06/2017, 09:08) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
      The BVITB has tried to restructure to a semi revenue generating body but this is tied up in red tape as Cabinet has to approve. They continue to want to control this body by controlling the purse strings. If allowed to generate some revenue they would be able to get some things done. The USVI marketing budget is twice our the Tourist Board entire budget. They continue to do with less and the powers that be want miracles
  • good (20/06/2017, 18:25) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    Proves that we can do more with less at times. We survived poverty and continue to struggle with prosperity. Keep the good works up!!!
  • cay (20/06/2017, 18:52) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    So they do not care about tourism just lip service
  • facts man (20/06/2017, 20:33) Like (1) Dislike (19) Reply
    If the current government succeed in getting another term the country is doomed.
  • tretretrete (21/06/2017, 09:12) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    They are forced to fund initiatives that other departments in government should be funding. Lets call them out-Waste Management. Royal Virgin Islands Police, Department of Culture.... and the list goes on and on. These department always tell you there are no funds and when investigated they DID NOT budget for it so how could they get approval. A bunch of incompetent persons running some of these departments
  • vex (22/06/2017, 22:29) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    By the time the tourism sector is decimated by this they will have forgoten who is responsible.


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