VI to explore promoting Emancipation Festival to cruise passengers
The minister made this statement while speaking on Virgin Islands Voice on Wednesday, August 13, 2025.
Hon Hodge-Smith said, "It's something to explore, and we are looking into what you call home porting. There is a possibility that this could transpire; it could happen."
She added, "We could have promoted the home port a little more, and yes, they will be starting here. The ongoing effort throughout the cruise industry is to not just have a summer season, but to have cruise ships visiting all year round. These are the kinds of discussions taking place in the industry right now."
The minister emphasised, "Of course, the BVI will do as much as we can to be part of whatever decisions are made and to ensure that they benefit us as a territory regarding our tourism product."
"We want to promote our Emancipation Festival further. Our goal is to develop it into a major attraction that is part of our tourism offerings. If this means having cruise passengers overnight on their ships, then yes," Hon Hodge-Smith stated.
Discussions ongoing- Hon Kye M. Rymer (R5)
Meanwhile, Minister for Communications and Works and Fifth District Representative Honourable Kye M. Rymer highlighted that discussions are ongoing regarding having cruise ships overnighting in the VI.
He remarked, "I can also add that this is a conversation we can have. I know itineraries are often planned two or three years in advance, but we are attending conferences where we discuss these matters. We can inquire about the possibilities of having overnight stays."
Hon Rymer further noted: "I understand that ships usually don't stay for 24 hours, but we had an overnight ship a few months ago, which was quite beneficial for many businesses in our community. We are exploring the potential to continue such trends during our festival events."
According to the Minister, there are already expedition ships and luxury vessels that stay for multiple nights and visit various areas within the territory.
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17 Responses to “VI to explore promoting Emancipation Festival to cruise passengers”
Former Premier Andrew Fahie would probably thank God verbally, though not heartily, but district R4 mindset is so entwined in tourist dollars, and vulgar unprinciple frolic that in lest that a day after hurricane Erin past, in her mind, 2026 late July though early August festival become her main focus.
Education, common sense, wisdom, and priority execution, in my honest opinion, make good politicians, not just random talking without meaningful productive, good planning, and integrity, lead by territorywide precision vision for the betterment of all the people of the British Virgin Islands, and others that are living among us, and visitors, too.
Most independent Caribbean countries can't speak no black power language at emancipation day celebration, as matter a fact if they get 30 people to attend emancipation celebration they are good.
The tourist side of it like drunkenness and violence and gyrating is celebrated instead.
I see it that sowandie is a marionette set up by the colonials to spout anti- colonial sentiments while he carry out neocolinial agenda, so they gave him the project to stop emancipation celebration like other independent Caribbean and celebrate drunkenness for the tourist validation.
Emancipation and culture are are from within. They are not celebrations to be further commercialised and prostituted for the cruise ship dollar.
Make it happen.
AND WHEREAS the Premier in his capacity as Minister for Tourism has failed to produce a Tourism Plan to safeguard and enhance our tourism market share despite repeated calls to do so by industry stakeholders and Members of the Opposition.
AND WHEREAS Prospect Reef Hotel, an extremely valuable piece of Government owned real estate, remains in a dilapidated state with little details of the plans for its revival to enhance the tourism offerings of the Territory.