Posted By: george_4
Resilience, the future and helping - 09/16/2017 09:52 AM
As a long-time lover of the BVI`s visiting every couple of years (first bareboat charter 1991, god I am old!) and someone who very definitely intends to return (funnily enough I have avoided the BVI for the last couple of years as I found it just too busy even in the off season) like everyone else on this forum I was devastated by what I have seen and read. Probably the best help we can give the islands in the medium to long term is our custom whether we are chartering a yacht or renting a villa.
I have a little insight into global disasters and crisis (my wife edits a magazine on the subject) I can see that alas it’s going to take some considerable time before life for those on the islands is even vaguely back to normal and right at this moment I can’t see how any sort of tourism can help. However not everything was wiped out and there are glimmers of hope that some businesses associated with the tourism industry although damaged could get back on their feet relatively quickly in comparison to other that alas have been completely devastated.
With this in mind (and I hope it’s not too early but then again I have a little insight into the subject) is it worthwhile consolidating into one post who survived and is ready to reopen (when power and water are back on, the initial rebuilding has occurred and tourists aren`t going to get in the way), which charter organisations have boats still and when they are considering offering them, which villas are available and which restaurants and bars are looking to reopen and when. By doing this we can promote getting visitors back to the islands quicker and hopefully spending rather than waiting for word of mouth or official tourism promotion (you know the cruise ships aren`t coming back any time soon and it will be the bold and the brave of us that make the first visits).
I know it sounds selfish but I am looking forward to a BBQ on the back of the boat with a cold beer and perhaps a little less commercialism for a while as we wait for everything to come back on stream (there were a lot less bars and restaurants in 1991!). Is this post too early or shall we get promoting/posting as we get the information and help the resilient islanders rebuild their businesses?
I have a little insight into global disasters and crisis (my wife edits a magazine on the subject) I can see that alas it’s going to take some considerable time before life for those on the islands is even vaguely back to normal and right at this moment I can’t see how any sort of tourism can help. However not everything was wiped out and there are glimmers of hope that some businesses associated with the tourism industry although damaged could get back on their feet relatively quickly in comparison to other that alas have been completely devastated.
With this in mind (and I hope it’s not too early but then again I have a little insight into the subject) is it worthwhile consolidating into one post who survived and is ready to reopen (when power and water are back on, the initial rebuilding has occurred and tourists aren`t going to get in the way), which charter organisations have boats still and when they are considering offering them, which villas are available and which restaurants and bars are looking to reopen and when. By doing this we can promote getting visitors back to the islands quicker and hopefully spending rather than waiting for word of mouth or official tourism promotion (you know the cruise ships aren`t coming back any time soon and it will be the bold and the brave of us that make the first visits).
I know it sounds selfish but I am looking forward to a BBQ on the back of the boat with a cold beer and perhaps a little less commercialism for a while as we wait for everything to come back on stream (there were a lot less bars and restaurants in 1991!). Is this post too early or shall we get promoting/posting as we get the information and help the resilient islanders rebuild their businesses?