This was the view shared by the territory’s Premier and Tourism Minister, Andrew Fahie who explained that cruise lines make decisions years in advance about their cruise calls.

Speaking at a press conference last Friday, September 3, Premier Fahie said: “If we missed this season in terms of this year by not solving [the cruise issue], we would have automatically missed the scheduling of the cruise ship for next season and we would have seen and realised, you know, probably over $10 million worth of revenue coming to the ports that would have been lost.”

The Premier described the estimated figure as “very conservative” while noting that the BVI government would have had to ‘pick up the tab’ if the territory had missed the upcoming season.

Bubble initiative for cruise tourists only

Speaking about the bubble initiative implemented for incoming cruise passengers and local industry stakeholders to help mitigate against the spread of COVID-19, Premier Fahie said there will be a log of local bubble participants and these persons will be tested every two weeks.

Importantly, Premier Fahie said the bubble initiative did not apply to other vaccinated visitors who enter through other local ports of entry.

“[Other tourists] have a totally different protocol in that they don’t have a bubble, once they come in and they’re vaccinated. When you do the rapid test and you’re negative, you go free. Where you go is not dictated to you,” the Premier revealed.

Persons involved in the bubble, the Premier further explained, will be allowed to go to specified points. He said this will help to reduce persons’ movements in the territory and also assist with contact tracing efforts where the need arises.

No closed beaches in bubble

Meanwhile, the Premier insisted that there will be no beaches designated for cruise tourists only, nor will there be any beaches ‘closed off’. He said this is contrary to a misconception being peddled by some persons.

“Oh, definitely not. We’re not closing any beaches. The bubble will not involve that at all. Whenever persons hear bubble, they think closed beach,” Premier Fahie said

He added that the bubble requires some level of organisation to ensure that locals are not disenfranchised, but are instead kept safe with the goal of pushing the economy into overdrive at the same time.