As the Virgin Islands prepares for a tourism season expected to bring a record number of visitors, a long-promised policy and plan to help guide the sector have been delayed …
October 13, 2025
August 25, 2025
Premier calls for year-round tourism
The Virgin Islands government plans to follow the example of other Caribbean islands that are working to develop a year-round tourism season, according to Premier Natalio “Sowande” Wheatley. “We want …
May 13, 2025
EDITORIAL: Remaining tourism meetings should be open to the public
In January, we breathed a sigh of relief when the government announced a series of public meetings about the national tourism plan it is promising by October. Finally, we thought, …
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May 1, 2025
Public tourism meetings cut short
The Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sustainable Development has cancelled the six remaining public meetings on a planned national tourism policy, replacing them with “target focus group sessions” that have …
January 24, 2025
Summit to inform tourism plan
After Premier Natalio “Sowande” Wheatley called for a “shared vision” last Thursday at the first Virgin Islands Tourism Summit, Shereen Flax-Charles had a question. “What are the plans to balance …
January 16, 2025
EDITORIAL: Public input vital at tourism summit
Government is right to kick off 2025 by organising a comprehensive public conversation about the tourism sector. Now it’s the public’s turn. We urge all residents to participate in the …
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January 13, 2025
Tourism plan delayed again
As the government gears up to host a tourism summit next week, the completion target for a long-delayed national tourism plan has been pushed forward again — this time until …
December 28, 2024
EDITORIAL: After 7 years of strife, the VI must emerge stronger
The past 12 months have not been easy for the Virgin Islands, but 2024 nevertheless brought glimpses of the light at the end of a tunnel the territory entered when …
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November 1, 2024
Public not invited to ‘stakeholder’ meetings for airport project
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 …
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October 22, 2024
EDITORIAL: Flight boost should prompt celebration, reflection
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 …
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July 12, 2024
With business case unfinished, government decides to extend runway at least 1,400 feet
Government has decided to extend the Beef Island runway by some 1,400 feet or more even though a business case designed to assess the project’s feasibility is not complete and …
February 19, 2024
Tourism plan promised this year
After more than a decade of delays, a national tourism plan is in the works and will be completed by the end of this year, Premier Dr. Natalio “Sowande” Wheatley …
September 28, 2023
Long-delayed tourism plan stalled for now
In March 2022, Cabinet decided to award a $1.9 million contract to a New York-based firm to create the national tourism plan that successive governments had been promising for more …
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December 19, 2022
EDITORIAL: Tourism is recovering quickly. Now what’s the plan?
Virgin Islands tourism is recovering quickly as the Covid-19 pandemic eases. This is great news. But it is also a reminder that the territory urgently needs the comprehensive tourism plan …
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