Top of The Baths Restaurant & Bar on Virgin Gorda said it will be calling it quits because it is financially impossible to keep its doors open at this time.

“It is with a very heavy heart and tremendous concern for each and everyone that we regretfully have to make the following decision. [It is] a decision which comes out of the factual reality of COVID-19 — resulting in a negative market for our tourism industry,” a statement on the company’s Facebook page said.

The company said it will reopen once they find it feasible to meet their daily obligations.

“The negative result has manifested itself in a manner which makes it financially impossible for us to continue to be open at this time. Therefore, we are giving notice that Top of The Baths Restaurant and coffee bar will be temporarily closed until such time as the economical conditions return to a point where the business can meet its daily obligations,” the statement said.

Many businesses have closed their doors because of the few tourists who’ve visited the territory since the COVID-19 pandemic forced the BVI to implement strict border protocols to govern visitor arrivals.

Recently, Quito’s Gazebo in Cane Garden Bay announced its closure due to the effects of the government’s COVID-19 protocols.

“It is with great sadness that we share our difficult decision to close Quito’s Ltd on January 31, 2021, for the season. While we applaud the government for trying to keep the country safe, the protocols and the expense they put on visitors has demolished the tourist industry,” Quito’s said in a statement.

Getting creative

While a number of local tourism-related businesses have closed their doors, others while others have been employing alternative strategies as they try to stay afloat amid the closure of the seaports – which account for the majority of the BVI’s tourist arrivals.

Just recently, Nanny Cay Marina established a creative way to attract business by circumventing the current closure of the territory’s sea borders.

Last year, taxi operators started offering delivery services to locals when tourist arrivals were cut off due to the full border closure of the territory.

Local hotels and resorts also started offering ‘staycations’ at reduced costs to attract locals to their business and stay afloat amid the trying times.