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‘Swim with the Dolphins’ hard hit this tourist season - Manager

Mr Emmanuel Gilbert, General Manager of Swim with the Dolphins said that they are currently shuttling tourists from the USVI to the VI to visit the facility. Photo: VINO
“It’s low, low and next year it’s going to be lower because the Pier is not ready,” said the new manager at Dolphin Discovery in Prospect Reef Mr Emmanuel Gilbert in a recent exclusive interview with this news site when asked about the business this tourist season. Photo: VINO
“It’s low, low and next year it’s going to be lower because the Pier is not ready,” said the new manager at Dolphin Discovery in Prospect Reef Mr Emmanuel Gilbert in a recent exclusive interview with this news site when asked about the business this tourist season. Photo: VINO
PROSPECT REEF, Tortola, VI – “It’s low, low and next year it’s going to be lower because the Pier is not ready,” said the new manager at Dolphin Discovery in Prospect Reef Mr Emmanuel Gilbert in a recent exclusive interview with this news site when asked about the business this tourist season.

According to Mr Gilbert they are feeling the effect of the Cruise Pier being out of operation for this season as it is reflecting by the number of persons that would visit during this time of year when compared to previous years.

But they are currently shuttling persons from as far as St Thomas USVI to keep business afloat. “…we are bringing the people from St Thomas. Imagine that you are on a cruise and they are going to tell you that they are going take you on a tour that takes an hour from St Thomas to Tortola to swim with the Dolphins and then just go back.”

Mr Gilbert said that it is not easy but they are managing to stay alive because of their relationship with the various cruise lines, “and that’s why we are still having people… I know that the pier is going to be ready soon but that’s how we are surviving now by bringing people from St. Thomas and from the hotels.”

He pointed out that because of the current situation with the Cruise Pier under construction most persons cannot get sufficient time to swim with the dolphins but rather would only pass in the taxi cab and looking in for short moments and move on.

He said that currently they are working very closely with the various concierges and agencies to reinforce what they are doing, explaining how the business is beefing up their services in a quest to continue to attract more patrons.

30 Responses to “‘Swim with the Dolphins’ hard hit this tourist season - Manager”

  • Economy is booming (25/11/2014, 08:50) Like (10) Dislike (24) Reply
    I thought the NDP said the economy is booming
  • b**** hodge (25/11/2014, 09:03) Like (31) Dislike (2) Reply
    maybe they shud try lowewring the prices so us locals can go too!! and they always been shuttling people from st Thomas, so don't come with that as a problem now
  • Poor Planning (25/11/2014, 09:09) Like (9) Dislike (23) Reply
    Typical of NDPs poor planning
  • miss (25/11/2014, 09:16) Like (35) Dislike (15) Reply
    let the dolphins go! having them cramped up in that little area is inhumane!!
    • SHUT UP (25/11/2014, 11:10) Like (1) Dislike (18) Reply
      but they are not human
    • LanaBanana (25/11/2014, 16:19) Like (3) Dislike (1) Reply
      YES! In India they are considered non human persons. India are well ahead on this. Everyone should watch The Cove and Blackfish. You just can't argue with scientific fact. -Unless you are insane/ embarrassingly stupid.
      • dolphin (25/11/2014, 19:57) Like (1) Dislike (4) Reply
        Ohhhhh good for India !
        Mmmm, wait is not India the poorest country in world, the dirtiest river and lot of sick people .....
        Nice that the considered dolphins as non human person
        Well done India !!
        By the way rite way is selling " Dolphin Steak "
        OMG !!!
  • abc 360 (25/11/2014, 09:21) Like (5) Dislike (24) Reply
    Yet another example of how the ndp economic policy has hurt small business...n when is the next elections yall?
    • Eh em (25/11/2014, 14:39) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply

      W....ck, this didn't work in 2011 and it won't work in 2014. The sensationalism, flooding all the blogs with one line ignorance, it will not work. Bring solutions.

  • bad news (25/11/2014, 09:27) Like (12) Dislike (1) Reply
    It will be worst when st thomas opens theirs.
  • FTD (25/11/2014, 10:02) Like (26) Dislike (3) Reply
    Let the dolphins go!!! Let the dolphins go!!!
    • @ FTD (25/11/2014, 21:46) Like (2) Dislike (3) Reply
      Nasty, small-minded people with no solutions to anything and no concerns except their own selfish ones. But let's don't be complacent and think that virulent tiny things can't do great damage. the programme is one of the best in the world
  • Virign Gorda Resident (25/11/2014, 10:05) Like (28) Dislike (3) Reply
    Shut down this operation. Let the dolphins go free.
  • stop whining (25/11/2014, 10:06) Like (7) Dislike (5) Reply
    Ummm so I guess when u have a tourist year instead of a tourist season for at least the nx 15 yrs u wouldn't be complaining. Yall ppl jus sickening sometimes.
  • facts (25/11/2014, 10:44) Like (4) Dislike (11) Reply
    Under ndp more small business will close
  • Swim with the dolphins (25/11/2014, 11:08) Like (6) Dislike (3) Reply
    It would be very patriotic indeed if the whole NDP Team decide to swim with the dolphins and let the public watch- I am sure that would bring in a lot of business-
  • i was hacked (25/11/2014, 11:13) Like (6) Dislike (7) Reply
    When they let the dolphins go what will the tourist come to see? There’s already hardly anything to see and do on the island. All u people do is complain complain, and have NO suggestions to help
    • Kingfish (25/11/2014, 12:11) Like (16) Dislike (6) Reply
      @I was hacked:

      We can place you in the pen and have the tourist watch you swim, LET THE DOLPHINS GO.
  • ... (25/11/2014, 12:48) Like (18) Dislike (3) Reply
    It is sad that this country is happy to see these intelligent creatures penned up and forced to perform tricks for food. Very sad indeed.
    • Dame (25/11/2014, 19:18) Like (6) Dislike (1) Reply
      Yea and still some of u spend money to go Sea World and you don't hear the out cry but only when the BVI dose it its wrong.
  • Kojak (25/11/2014, 14:05) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    There are plenty of tricks being played for money in the BVI
  • But (25/11/2014, 17:08) Like (4) Dislike (1) Reply
    if you let the dolphins go...what will the tourist do or see.There is nothing really to do in the BVI. They will do better when the pier is finished
    • pat (26/11/2014, 12:35) Like (0) Dislike (1) Reply
      looking, experiencing something new is "doing". why do people have to be entertained? Are they so unimaginative?
  • Dulcina (25/11/2014, 23:46) Like (5) Dislike (1) Reply
    Deportation is in order for the Dolphins.
    Send them home!
  • BetteGH (26/11/2014, 09:34) Like (4) Dislike (0) Reply
    Why don't you ask the villa and hotel owners just how the cruise ship business has effected their recidivism rates? Ask them about the people who say they won't come back because the beaches are daily overrun by fat frying tourists who may buy a pina colada and a tee shirt.
    The NDP is doing some fancy footwork here, just getting the new pier financed and built yet those who want cruise ships still aren't happy, pretending the NDP is supposed to be some king of fairy godmother, expected to snap their fingers and magically 'appear' a mega dock.

    get a grip.
    Oh, and BTW- why doesn't the USVI have it's own 'dolphin discovery'?
    (I'll give you a hint: the google online dictionary defines 'inhumane' as:
    "without compassion for misery or suffering; cruel."
    their example is:
    "confining wild horses is inhumane")
    google it.
    • St.Thomian (27/11/2014, 19:29) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      Comming soon to a island near you! St. Thomas is in the prosse of building their own, bigger and better! So look out.
  • tretretrete (26/11/2014, 15:06) Like (0) Dislike (1) Reply
    I dont get someone of u people....u all jump on a plane. ..fly all the way to Orlando to go to seaworld...animal kingdom and so forth. ...so y don't you all tell them, let their animals...dolphins and whales go...such a bunch of bad minded people in the bvi...
    • Dulcina (27/11/2014, 12:19) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      "Someone of u people "will do certain things and some people will do the right thing.
      That is life. A constant tug of war.
      It is within each one of us to do the moral thing whenever possible .


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