invisigal said:
In order to create this high-end Shangri-La you speak so knowingly of, you would first of all have to radically decrease the cruise ship presence in the BVI, as no one spending more than the already overheated prices in the BVI would want to share the beach with the day-tripping hoards. And yet, paradoxically, the BVI isn't going in that direction. No, the "other agendas" argument seems to hold more water.
And how can you compare an island with the size, density, economy, politics and geography of Kauai with the BVI? You have a developed, American, subsidized, physically remote island, pretty much the opposite of the BVI.
And how does a "semi-retired...global...fan of boat fun" know so much more about the BVI tourist and the BVI tourism product than actual operators and owners of BVI tourism assets?
Curious and curiouser.
Take a deeper look some of the 'Shangri-La" is in progress. Completely tour Scrub, completely tour Peter Island, completely tour Nail Bay, review in detail the plans underway at Little Dix. The BVI is most certainly moving more upscale in a number of ways. It is not just the moorings with higher end boats almost floating condos. The Catamaran Company, Voyage, and even TMM have much higher $quality$ boats in their fleets.
I am not business fan of the cruise ships. The cruise ships offer the local market 50-100 bucks per passenger on the days they show up. The contracts are always short and in the cruise operators favor. From Mobile, Alabama to Grenada local governments have been out negotiated with the cruise ships who can take their built in infrastructure and go someplace else if the local government will not give them the deal that want. At the end of each cycle each location must bid for the business they think they already have.
If the BVI can get the proper airlift working and clientele to fuel better shops and dining? Those cruise ship piers could always be filled with mega yachts swapping crews and guests. Also keep in mind the cruise masses only his a few spots on some of the islands. You will not see them near Peter Island or Nail Bay.
The deep pocket hospitality operators and professionals are the ones pushing for and demanding the runway. David Johnson of Nail Bay was very clear and very public the conditions of his deal to invest in Nail Bay was the BVI was to build a new hospital, to extend the existing runway to enable direct flight access from cities like Miami and New York. The BVI was just as clear and just as public the runway will be extended somehow. Other resort professionals are just as specific on the airport requirement just not as public with the demand.
As long as other business revenue is created to replace the massive cruise ship daytrippers the ships can go away in one season or at least be replaced by smaller more elegant cruise ships and their better class of passengers. The BVI needs better shopping and eatery options along the lines of St. Barts to pull the better boutique cruise options into the docks. My vote would be the very large mega private yachts at those docks between family visits or charters. St. Martin is long out of space for that business. What is missing? Easy direct jet service from the US or what the industry leaders are calling 2.5 hour service from MIA. Flight time from JFK to St. Lucia today is 4.5 hours and soon St. Vincent will have the same option.
