Mélange Travel & Lifestyle Magazine October 2018 | Page 204

One year after Irma
Update by BVI Director of Tourism, Sharon Flax-Brutus
“When Hurricane Irma tore through the Caribbean
last September, it made a particularly harsh
impact on the spectacular shores that 30,000 of
my fellow BVIslanders and I call home.
But one year later, I am pleased to say that
the Herculean efforts put forth by the local
community, international volunteers and the BVI
government have paid off. The beaches have been
cleaned up, roads cleared, and visitors are flocking
into the territory once again.
As the largest sector of the economy, restoring the
BVI’s tourism product was a huge priority during
the immediate aftermath of the storm. There is
still work to be done, but we at the BVI Tourist
Board are proud to recognize the progress made
over the past year. The BVI Reborn video gives a
glimpse into the progress of our recovery.
The charter yacht and sailing industry was the first
to rebound, with some operators accepting guests
as soon as November 2017 to jumpstart the
winter season. Cruise calls resumed at Tortola Pier
Park the following month, bringing in thousands
more visitors. Disney Cruise Line made its return
just days ago to much fanfare, and Norwegian
Cruise Line will follow in Fall 2018. We are
expecting a remarkable 2018/2019 cruise season
with projections of over 200 calls and 400,000
passengers at Tortola Pier Park and Road Harbour
alone. Additionally, we expect over 50 calls by the
smaller boutique ships, to other islands including;
Anegada, Jost Van Dyke and Virgin Gorda,
demonstrating the diversity of our destination to
accommodate cruise visitors.
To date, many of the BVI’s premier resorts have
come back online as well. This includes: Scrub
Island Resort & Spa, Cooper Island Beach Club,
Guana Island Resort, Oil Nut Bay, Anegada Beach
Club, and more. Visitors will enjoy enhanced
offerings at several of these properties, including
an expanded private beach at Scrub Island,
and brand-new glamping accommodations
at Anegada Beach Club. In fact, Anegada has
emerged as a must-visit island thanks to its
unique attractions like world-class kitesurfing,
amazing conch shell mounds and iconic bright
pink flamingos. The only coral island in the group,
Anegada boasts the Caribbean’s third largest
barrier reef, the Horseshoe Reef.
Oil Nut Bay has significantly upgraded its facilities,
and this December, will be offering stunning new
one-bedroom suites with nightly availability. A
marina village with 93 slips that can accommodate
yachts up to 40 meters, will also be opened in
December. The resort’s helipad which facilitates
air arrivals along with the new facilities, will now
give guests the freedom to explore neighboring
islands, embarking by boat or helicopter, with
ease.
As of August 15, there are 769 rooms on land and
2,930 berths available throughout the Territory.
By winter season, that number will rise to over
1,000 rooms and 3,200 berths. Necker Island is
scheduled to reopen on October 1st, with several
of our luxury properties to follow in late 2019