Premier of the Virgin Islands and overseeing Minister of Tourism, Honorable Andrew A. Fahie has said that his government is not willing to take full responsibility for the surge in tourist cancellations reported by local hospitality businesses since the announcement of reopening protocols.
Local companies have been inundated with calls of cancellations, some reporting up to $20,000 in losses within the last 24 hours. However, the Premier has said this is no fault of the Government, further reiterating that it may have been irresponsible for tourists to book before protocols were rolled out.
Premier Fahie, during a live press conference last night said “I don’t want to get into the businesses’ accounts but I did see a lot of it on social media that they already had such and such amount of cancellations. I don’t know if it is me but I would have to stand corrected. I am concerned about bookings before you know the protocols because then you would have been booking in anticipation that the protocols would be according to how you might be seeing them.”
The overseeing minister further stated that not all bookings were cancelled as a result of protocols, further stating that some were booked a year in advance.
Premier Fahie said “so I have asked persons in different industries, when you say that made you losses due to the protocols, what does that really mean? Some of them have told me today that it wasn’t really because of the protocols per say but because persons booked lie the year before. But when they did that there was no covid-19. So some of those bookings would have been lost as a result of that.”
“So it’s difficult for government anywhere to take full responsibility for the loss of these bookings before the protocols were established. If you book before the protocols were established and then blame a government anywhere in the world I still would have to do some more research on that. And that’s nothing towards the businesses not trying to be proactive, but to throw all of that on any Government is a little much,” Premier Fahie further added.
The Premier’s sentiments were strongly rebutted during the live press conference with many business owners, tourists and residents condemning the Government’s decision to announce a reopening date before establishing the much-needed protocols.
One businessman commented “since last night’s update we’ve seen 9 cancellations. $7,780 in refunds. It’s ugly but this too shall pass”
Another viewer said “ as a business how is one to project recovery and revenue streams when the government is reprimanding travelers for making plans in advance of travel dates? You’re telling businesses and travelers not to plan? Businesses thrive on planning, budgets, models, inventory needs etc.”
A tourist said “to say you are going to welcome visitors back then people will anticipate they are welcome….the protocols should not have come a month after the welcome message. You have to take some responsibility for this surely.”
The BVILove campaign launched on September 21st by Government and the BVI Tourist Board stated “everything is ready for you, we just hope you’re ready for us. When should you come? There’s no better time like the present. Come now, we are open on December 1st,2020.”
With record cancellations and the Premier’s recent sentiments, residents and tourist alike have since said that the “BVILove campaign was premature and deceiving”, adding that it is a slap in the face of tourists who take pride in visiting the territory.
However, the Premier maintains that recent decisions are in the best interest of everyone involved.
He said “I’m a businessman also. I have no intention of seeing any business suffer but it’s a tough call with some of these areas. And I do not want to live as Premier and do something out of pressure knowing that it’s going to have an adverse effect on the population.”
Some members of the business community are scheduled to speak on brewing concerns following the rollout of Government’s new protocols.
You are invited to join in on the discussion via Facebook at “284 media” at 6pm sharp.