"The light that comes from wisdom never goes out"
The reopening of Peter Island Resort shows that the tourism industry in the Virgin Islands is returning to its “former glory,” according to Premier Natalio “Sowande” Wheatley. The resort, which …
Continue reading “Peter Island rebirth hailed as big tourism boost”
Signs abound that the coming tourism high season will be successful, building on travellers’ positive impressions of the Virgin Islands and showing that the demand to vacation here remains strong. …
Continue reading “EDITORIAL: Virgin Islands must not rest on tourism laurels”
The government still hasn’t released the completed part of an ongoing review of the proposed airport expansion, but residents will get a chance to weigh in on the long-delayed project …
Continue reading “Public airport meetings to start Tuesday in Road Town”
We fear we spoke too soon. Last November, we praised the Virgin Islands government for preliminary steps that should have boosted transparency surrounding the proposed expansion of the Terrance B. …
Continue reading “EDITORIAL: Government must stop backpedaling on airport transparency”
For more than a decade, successive governments have regularly refused to publish taxpayer-funded studies on the feasibility of the airport expansion that leaders say the territory desperately needs. Now, the …
Continue reading “New government, same secrecy on airport plan”
A series of “stakeholder consultations” on the planned airport expansion was scheduled to start on Oct. 29, but the Beacon’s attempts to find out when and where the meetings are …
Continue reading “Public not invited to ‘stakeholder’ meetings for airport project”
In a significant win for the territory, more flights from more destinations inside and outside the Caribbean have been coming to the Virgin Islands in recent months. The resulting increase …
Continue reading “EDITORIAL: Flight boost should prompt celebration, reflection”
Following years of customer complaints about InterCaribbean Airways, a Virgin Islands government minister has joined a chorus of regional leaders warning the carrier to shape up. In response, the airline’s …
Continue reading “After warnings from regional leaders, InterCaribbean pledges better service”
Airport concessions and service development were on the agenda when airport regulators and industry executives from across the Caribbean gathered last week at Maria’s by the Sea Hotel for the …
Continue reading “In a first, Virgin Islands hosts regional ‘Airport Day’”
To boost the tourism industry, the Virgin Islands should clean its roadways, shore up its infrastructure, and revisit plans to build a casino, among other steps, according to singer and …
Continue reading “Set to retire, Quito offers words of wisdom”
The Virgin Islands is being left behind by tourism rivals like St. Thomas due to government complacency, opposition member Myron Walywn warned recently in the House of Assembly. To tackle …
Continue reading “Government urged to boost land-based visits”
After a nearly six-month hiatus, international flights can once again operate out of the Captain Auguste George International Airport on Anegada, the BVI Airports Authority announced on March 28. The …
Continue reading “After mould clean-up, Anegada airport accepting foreign flights again”
For about two decades, the Virgin Islands has been operating without a national tourism strategy. It shows. Government’s tourism decisions tend to take the form of haphazard knee-jerk reactions rather …
Continue reading “EDITORIAL: Public input vital to tourism plan”
KPMG (BVI) Ltd. will carry out the business case slated to guide the way forward for the long-delayed expansion of the Terrance B. Lettsome International Airport, the BVI Airports Authority …
Continue reading “KPMG to carry out airport biz case after submitting lowest bid”
Eight companies from here and abroad bid to carry out the comprehensive business case that is expected to decide the way forward for the government’s long-delayed plan to expand the …
Continue reading “Bids for airport biz case range from about $209k to $540k”
The Anegada airport closed without warning over the Dec. 2-3 weekend after its fire truck was taken to replace a malfunctioning truck at the Virgin Gorda airport, but it reopened …
Continue reading “Anegada airport back open after sudden closure”
It’s about time. After more than a decade of bumbling attempts to expand the Terrance B. Lettsome International Airport, government is finally taking the proposal back to the drawing board …
Continue reading “EDITORIAL: Finally, airport business case put to tender”
From Thursday to Monday during this tourism season, travellers will be able to fly between Virgin Gorda and Puerto Rico aboard eight-seater planes operated by the Connecticut-based airline Tradewind Aviation. …
Continue reading “Virgin Gorda gets new flights to Puerto Rico”
The BVI Airports Authority is seeking proposals for a comprehensive business case to decide the way forward for the development of the Terrance B. Lettsome International Airport. The study — …
Continue reading “In a first, government seeks full business case for airport expansion”
The United Kingdom supports a 12-year-old plan to lengthen the runway at the Terrance B. Lettsome International Airport to bring larger jets with more passengers to the Virgin Islands, officials …
Continue reading “UK supports airport expansion, Rymer says”
For more than a decade, a disturbing lack of transparency has surrounded multiple governments’ unsuccessful efforts to expand the Terrance B. Lettsome International Airport. The new government must turn over …
Continue reading “EDITORIAL: Airport project won’t work without full transparency”
The government hosted a stakeholder meeting on Aug. 18 to discuss its plan to expand the Terrance B. Lettsome International Airport. But the public and the media weren’t invited. “This …
Continue reading “Gov’t hosts meeting on airport expansion, but public not invited”
At a time when access limitations are one of the territory’s most intractable problems, the National Unity Government has scored a major victory by securing direct flights between here and …
Continue reading “EDITORIAL: Finally, direct flights to the United States”