TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums British Virgin Islands Ruminations on those "more desirable" visitors.

/Moderate rant warning/

Got an interesting call from a distressed oncologist the other day. It seems that for many years he and his wife have spent two weeks at Biras Creek. When it closed last year they tried Little Dix but now it is closed and he was looking for an alternative. This guy owns a house in Aspen and an apartment in the Left Bank in Paris. If he and his wife are not in the "more desirable" classification I don't know who would be.

The closest I could come up with as a resort on VG was BEYC. He asked where it was. I replied, "Right around the corner from Biras. You can see it from the Fat Virgin" "Where is that?"

It seems they have always flown into STT and taken a Helicopter to Biras Creek and NEVER left the property. I have noticed the same thing with people who stay at Little Dix. In conversation on flights down to STT I find that they have no idea of the various top notch restaurants on Virgin Gorda. These "more desirable" visitors may spend a lot more on their vacations but very little of it even makes it to the BVI. It went to Victor interenational, Rosewood Resorts or Mainsail Lodging. Most of what does make it to the BVI is used to provision directly from Ft. Lauderdale. Those two resorts do provide about 2% of the total BVI job base but that is about it for net ecomomic contribution.

In contrast, us "less desirable" visitors spend maybe $5K+ for a boat charter, rent locally owned villas from local agents, spend at least $100 a day for booze and food at local establishments, rent cars from local agencies and provision from locally owned perveyors. Together we provide about 60% of the job base. In addition, what we do spend changes hands a couple of times before it leaves the islands resulting in a multiplier effect.

With the current condition of the infrastructure and the general "island casual" level of hospitality service, there is every reason to expect that the "more desirable" visitors will continue to ensconce themselves in remote enclaves and super yachts that provision ouside the BVI contributuing little if anything other than arrival and departure fees to the BVI economy.

BTW, I think the oncologist is going to give Guana Island a try. Flying into STT and helicopter over as usual.

/End rant/

you should write BVI news or Island Sun as a rebuttal to the "more desirable" comments that were written. If either of those papers did publish it, it would let the people know both how offensive and off-base this sentiment is.

Thank you for sharing your thoughts

Why am I not surprised at the oncologist's comments ?

Someway I would like to believe that "we" are the "more desirable" people --- all depends on your point of view.

Prof...you hit the nail on the head..thanks..

Think of it this way: St Barth houses rent for about $4,000 per room, per week and up. Restaurant dinner tabs are €100 pp and up. During New Years Festivities, a solid third of the world's largest yachts are nearby.

If the question is strictly how to bring in the highest dollar visitors, it is a very different world.

BVIs are comfortable, somewhat rural and quirky. That being said, a week on Anegada or Virgin Gorda can be the most serene experience in the world.

I talked to the ladies at Rhymers.They are all set for the arrival of the mass influx of "discerning" visitors. Going to add Orange Marmalade to the butter and jelly plate that comes with the Breakfast Special.

$100 a DAY for booze and food?? Hell that's just breakfast! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/dine.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" />

My friends that charter I with in the BVI are above average in wealth. I can't say we meet Rons criteria for discerning. We do spend $10-20,000 per year in the BVI depending on the the number of trips. We are not discerning at Willy T where a $500 tab has been seen many times. We enjoy the honor bar at Cow Wreck where food and drink approaches the same. I could go on. When Potters got wiped out by Earl I sent him money with a vague promise it would be returned. It was the next trip. Maybe I'm not a discerning traveler. But I am a smart traveler that finds good value in chartering in the BVIs and doesn't want discerning travelers to ruin it for my kids.

For me, a vacation in a villa on Virgin Gorda is heaven on earth. I agree with most of what you said, but I highly doubt the charter boat you are renting, or the villa I am renting, are owned by locals.

Scott

Probably not but most villa owners (and boat owners for that matter) would agree that an exceptionally large percentage of the rent money remains in the BVI. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Wink.gif" alt="" />

The Villa we stay at is not owned by "locals" BUT the management fee is paid to a local. Then there is the $400+ for a 10 day jeep, $300/day for food and drinks at local restaurants, plus another few hundred for supplies for the villa, VERY discerning. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Yikes.gif" alt="" />

This.

Rental dollars are most certainly put back into the BVI economy. Caretaker salaries, repair and upkeep on the grounds and the villa ensure that any $ earned goes directly back into the local economy. New doors due to termite damage, restoration of our tiles floors this year. New metal roof this fall.

In addition, we make two to three trips down each year, where the girl likes to spread more $ into the local establishments. <---read this as the girl just like to eat/drink! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/circle.gif" alt="" />

And I am no where near the level of the "more desirable" visitors. OY! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" />

There is also the 10 percent hotel/accommodation tax on short term rentals that goes straight to the local economy. That tax with the boat charters included would be greater than 20 percent in Europe.