A three-pronged campaign themed “YourBVI” launched Friday at the Cyril B. Romney Tortola Pier Park with the aim of encouraging residents to take a tourist’s-eye view of the territory.
“We would like our residents to view our society and our economy through a tourism lens,” explained Keith Dawson, public relations manager at the BVI Tourist Board.
“This would help improve the overall living experience in the territory, as many of the behaviours that we are promoting to improve the visitor experience, such as environmental cleanliness and service excellence, will also benefit the local community.”
At the launch, staff members of the BVITB & Film Commission wore uniforms branded with a new logo that plays on the words “your” and “our” to indicate that the success of the tourism industry is a collective responsibility.
Three prongs
The launch kicked off with a brief ceremony, where three presenters each spoke about one major component of the programme.
BVITB Director Clive McCoy presented on “general tourism awareness.” For this aspect of the campaign, he said, the agency is planning an information-driven approach using tools ranging from statistics to special animated series to radio commercials.
“The YourBVI Campaign is about having a bit of extra awareness in the things we do every day,” Mr. McCoy said.
BVITB Chairwoman Delma Maduro presented on plans to promote cleanliness and a pristine environment.
To that end, she said, the agency will collaborate with the Department of Waste Management to place more garbage bins across the territory as part of efforts to encourage the removal of bulk waste.
Meanwhile, an annual “BVI Day of Service” will encourage organisations and individuals to collectively contribute thousands of hours of service toward tackling environmental issues, she said.
Finally, Junior Minister for Tourism and Culture Luce Hodge-Smith spoke about plans to strengthen customer service standards in the territory from pre-arrival to post-departure. This component of the campaign, she said, will offer training opportunities to various businesses in the industry.
Premier Dr. Natalio “Sowande” Wheatley, the tourism minister, also delivered brief remarks about the new programme.
After the ceremony, attendees enjoyed a variety of cultural dishes and drinks prepared