PREMIER WHEATLEY ADVANCES TALKS ON VISA-FREE TRAVEL BETWEEN BVI AND GUYANA

Premier Hon. Dr. Natalio Wheatley, has updated on the progress of plans to eliminate visa restrictions for Guyanese nationals entering the territory. In a recent interview with Guyana’s National Communications Network (NCN), the Premier expressed his support for the measure, which was initially announced by Deputy Premier Hon. Lorna Smith OBE during a 2023 trade … Continued

LIAT (1975) AIRCRAFT SOLD OFF TO ALLOW FOR BIRTH OF LIAT (2020)

Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda Gaston Browne has announced a major step toward launching the new LIAT 2020, with regional shareholder governments agreeing to sell aircraft from the defunct LIAT (1975) Limited, which took its last flight in January 2024, to the newly formed airline.  Browne described the $12.1 million sale of at least … Continued

THE BAHAMAS SIGNS SPACE TOURISM AGREEMENT WITH SPACEX

The Government of The Bahamas has announced a revolutionary agreement with aerospace company SpaceX to establish the Bahamas as a leading space tourism destination.  The Letter of Agreement (LOA) signed with The Bahamas’  Ministry of Tourism, Investments & Aviation (MOTIA)  positions the Bahamas as the exclusive location globally for witnessing SpaceX rocket booster landings on … Continued

TURNBULL CALLS FOR COMPREHENSIVE FIX FOR PUBLIC RESTROOMS

District Two Representative the Honourable Melvin Turnbull has criticized the continued “band-aid” approach to fixing public infrastructure. He voiced concerns in a recent House of Assembly session while questioning Premier Hon. Dr Natalio Wheatley about progress in repairing bathrooms in Jost Van Dyke and Cane Garden Bay.  Citing the significance of functional public restrooms, Turnbull … Continued

KPMG AWARDED AIRPORT DEVELOPMENT CONTRACT – TO COMPLETE BUSINESS CASE BY MAY

KPMG (BVI) has been awarded a contract by the Government of the Virgin Islands and the BVI Airports Authority (BVIAA) to spearhead the long-awaited airport development project. The BVIAA in a media release on Monday said the decision follows a rigorous tendering process that involved eight reputable companies, with KPMG (BVI) emerging as the preferred … Continued

PREMIER ADMITS TOURISM REVENUE DATA GAPS, PROMISES ACTION

Tourism has been highlighted as a pillar of the Virgin Islands economy. Despite this, local agencies continue to fall short in capturing comprehensive data on revenue generated by the industry.  This issue recently came to the forefront again during discussions in the House of Assembly.  Premier Hon. Dr. Natalio Wheatley lamented the lack of revenue … Continued

U.S. GOVERNMENT CAUTIONS AGAINST TRAVEL TO JAMAICA DUE TO SAFETY CONCERNS

In a recent travel advisory, the United States Department of State escalated its warning for Jamaica to a Level 3 travel advisory, urging travellers to reconsider plans to visit Jamaica, citing elevated risks related to crime and medical services in the Caribbean island. A Level 3 advisory, in the State Department’s ranking system, communicates an … Continued

CRUISE SHIP DOMINANCE IN THE BVI: A BLESSING OR A CURSE?

Members of the public and tourism practitioners across the Territory have expressed discontent with the trajectory of the BVI’s tourism sector as the Cruise Ship industry increases its market share. Following announcements by the Government of the Virgin Islands that the Territory recorded its second-highest number of visitor arrivals ever in 2023, many members of … Continued