TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums British Virgin Islands BVI will go into complete lockdown

hi folks, just saying we love you, love the BVi's, love travel end of; imo the issue is going to be the health support in global travel destinations, the minute the doors get opened it'll come; I can't think of a sailing destination that's set up to be able to contain an outbreak, can anybody? and that's very worrying because most all of them depend on tourism to survive economically. so we're in dire need of a global vaccine and global antibody test, difficult to see how things get opened up before that happens.

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Yeah.. Sept 2nd for everyone except BVI Islanders and Residents..

https://bvinews.com/no-entry-for-lo...OIvQG3JTW4RPwTBKSAK2K27Khm5cxM46GVxjIKkg

Just read your article.
This doesn’t mean Sept 2 is written in cement,
most people believe this social experiment that’s being done with the whole planet will end shortly.

I should know the answer to this..but I dont. When we run our California to Tortola and back we always ferry in and out and fly out of St Thomas. Does anyone fly Stt to EIS if we cant ferry? I know there are some air charter companies and, maybe closer, we will see if we can be joined by others. We are BVI Residents so we can get back in early June as of right now but I would really rather not fly through San Juan if I can help it. Any advice is greatly appreciated.

Mal, VI Airlink flies from St. Thomas to Tortola.
www.viairlink.com

No, it certainly isn't written in cement, but given that we will continue to see cases across the rest of the world, it is probably likely. I hope not, but if I had to bet, I'd probably bet on it being at least until then.

The real question is can the people in the BVI survive without cash flow into next October. The BVI does not export much in the way of products other than a few lobsters. Their trade medium is currency produced by tourism and banking. Banking is hurting badly in the BVI and tourism dollars are zero. At what point do basic necessities stop arriving in the BVI? What kind of cash reserves does the government have in hand?
G

Be sure to do some more research before planning to return in June. I have the impression that returning residents will have to quarantine (and not at home) for 14 days upon return based on travel history. Coming from the US would most likely require you to quarantine. The health minister reported yesterday they were planning 150 beds for quarantine purposes for those 3 months.

The real question is can the people in the BVI survive without cash flow into next October. The BVI does not export much in the way of products other than a few lobsters. Their trade medium is currency produced by tourism and banking. Banking is hurting badly in the BVI and tourism dollars are zero. At what point do basic necessities stop arriving in the BVI? What kind of cash reserves does the government have in hand?

quote does not work on my Mac

Virgin Gorda will be badly affected but Jost & Anegada will be decimated by this, Tortola will scrape through. The announcement basically means more than 2000 people will now need flights out the BVI unless a stimulus package comes out by next week.

Looking at that survey businesses have to fill out about their workers makes me wonder if the plan isn't to export unemployment. Not a new strategy in the BVI, although not a very successful one either, IMO. My guess is work permits in the hospitality sector will not be renewed, for the most part. This is going to be very expensive for many businesses, as they will have to pay severance after three months, unless the law is changed.

Peter, have you and other Anegada restaurants considered offering e-gift cards for future use? That was done after Irma.

"I have the impression that returning residents will have to quarantine (and not at home) for 14 days... The health minister reported yesterday they were planning 150 beds for quarantine purposes for those 3 months."
If the beds are in shared facilities it surely seems that anyone required to do that would require a second 14-day quarantine period on their own to ensure they didn't contract the COVID-19 during that initial quarantine period...

Not really into that and not had a chat to anyone as I have been at tThe Wonky Dog since before the lockdown began.

We are looking at selling our T-shirts online which we Get a lot of requests for.

Irma was different, the world wasn't destroyed we were, but now....

I wonder if anyone bought a week's "membership" to boatyball and had to get refunded...

Ok, we do not want to start this!

Just thought we could use a little laugh amidst all the cancel and reschedule chat - I know there are much bigger issues out there....

Lol

Just heard from the Moorings today that BVIs will be open on June 2. This is quite different from what I'm reading on this forum about September 2. Anyone have an idea as to whether the Sept 2 date has been changed?

The borders reopen on the 2nd June for flights only into EIS and only for Belongers Residents and Work Permit Holders ,

Perhaps they have other information but what else did Moorings say?

Did you hear about a change for Work Permit Holders? The announcement last week was that the 3 months after June 2 would only be Belongers and Residents.

I commented those TWO different dates to both an agent and supervisor but they both felt that the latest information was June 2, across the board. Wondering if anyone on this site had that different information.

If you're talking about an agent and a supervisor at an airline, it's been my experience that the airlines are often the LAST to know the proper information…

No, this was an agent and supervisor at Moorings.

OK, I still would trust the official government pronouncement more.

Agree with Carol...Moorings has been rolling their closings 1 week each weekend on their website and I trust their base camp more than corporate

I went back thru the official government release on immigration from last week. It is currently only prohibiting entry until June 2. That was the original end of Phase 1 of reopening the BVI but that was announced before an additional 7 days of 24hr curfew was added.

Later this week, we should find out if phase 1 still ends on June 1 or if it gets extended a week. Sometime later in May, we should find out what Phase 2 is officially but they had originally announced June 2 - September 1 the airport only would open for belongers, residents, and work permit holders with some serious restrictions. That information was given in a verbal announcement but has not been officially published by the government as the phase 2 details haven't been approved yet.

Thanks Jason for the clarification and update.

Can't wait to get back to our house on Jost!

Take care!

Second that...missing the view from CRC to your house ski2play!

I have a charter booked for july 4 with dream yacht charters and they are telling me not to cancel and that the borders are opening June 2nd.....I have not booked my air yet because I really do not think I will be going.....

As of right now, not going to happen. The bvi needs to find a way of testing folks that are coming in and that is a big problem

The BVI needs to understand that the only way they will keep the virus out is to observe a strict lockdown forever. Many people don’t grasp that the current efforts in most countries are not designed to reduce the number of cases but rather spread them out over a longer time period to ease the burden on health services.

For anyone interested or with a vacation planned between now and September, I found the transcript of the Premier's statement from 15 April. It's quiet long, but if you search for "When the borders do open up in phase two" you will find the section about opening the borders. In it he describes that when the borders do open, the 1st 3 months will only be for belongers and residents.

I think the charter companies are being hopeful that the strategy changes but I'm less optimistic. We will find out more soon!

Jason,

I believe much earlier in statement there was the phrase "subject to change".

2 ways to get to same date of opening.
1) Announce shut down for short time period and keep extending it as necessary
2) Announce shut down for a very long time period and then shorten it if necessary

Where we end up, is unknown. Sept 1st is a long way away. Is it too long? Or too short? Time will tell.

Hopefully, the curfews we've had are not indicative of opening the borders. They just been adding and adding. Adding to a September open date will be ugly.

From a tourism standpoint, there isn't much difference between September and November, given the low number of visitors in September and October. My guess is that they may allow property owners in sooner, then maybe charter boat people and land-based visitors. If they never allow cruise ships, that's fine with me.

But there will be political and financial pressure, the result of which is hard to estimate.

I'd love to see the cruise hips banned forever but I cannot believe that taxi drivers..and their families that swing the vote///will allow that. I've said it before..I;d love to see them get out of their cabs and back to farming and fishing so we dont have to import fish!!

th

I think the cruise ship business is dead for the next 1-2 years. The taxi drivers better get out there rods and nets. You could not pay me to get on a cruise ship prison.

BVI Yacht Charters told us that summer charters are a bust. They let us reschedule at no fee for November.