Premier Andrew Fahie has hinted at a further reduction in the BVI Gateway fee for vaccinated persons in the near future.
The premier made the statement during a recent tourism media conference after questions on the topic was posed by 284 Media.
The current fee for vaccinated persons is $35, a reduction from the previous $105 and $175 fee.
Following the recent decision by Cabinet which allows fully vaccinated persons travelling to the BVI with a negative PCR or Rapid test result to no longer quarantine, persons were questioning why a $35 fee still had to be paid.
Initially the original $175 fee was said to have include taxi cost to quarantine facilities, tracking device costs and COVID testing costs.
In response to our question on why the $35 fee still existed for fully vaccinated persons, the premier said it was part of the processing fee.
He said, “One of the reasons, you also know there have processing fees, so for right now that also allows for the whole processing of it because you know the Gateway, the management of it and all the work that goes into it, so there’s still just basic processing fee.”
“But eventually we’re looking at about how to even reduce that and even eventually wine it down,” the Premier added.
Protocols for day trippers coming soon
Premier Fahie also revealed that an updated protocol on how day trippers leaving the BVI should utilise the exit and reentry systems will be coming to the public very soon.
“In terms of the day trippers, some other announcements will be coming out but as of right now that is something that once you go into the system it will let you know because Cabinet did meet to make some adjustments in terms of day trippers leaving here. Leaving here, that is a difference in terms of the day trippers leaving here to come back,” he emphasised.
“So there’s some adjustments that’s going to happen with that and the Minister of Health will be announcing those soon,” he added.
Premier Fahie had earlier stated that the data from the BVI Airports Authority received on June 23, 2021, revealed that 17,622 passenger arrivals were recorded at the Terrance B. Lettsome International Airport since December 2020. Of this number, 3,962 passengers were residents and 13,660 were non-residents or visitors.
Meanwhile, since mid-April, 2021 the number of visitor arrivals through the Road Town Ferry Dock was recorded at 3,839 persons.