Beautiful Virgin Islands

Saturday, Jul 26, 2025

Empty Tourist Board booth at STT airport lambasted

Empty Tourist Board booth at STT airport lambasted

A crowded arrival lounge at the Cyril E. King Airport in St Thomas (STT), packed with anxious tourists headed to the BVI, has caused questions to be raised about the lack of any visible presence of BVI Tourist Board (BVITB) staff, despite a well-branded welcome booth at the facility.
Heavy criticism emerged over the cost of maintaining the empty booth and about the glaring absence of any visual aids or videos for anxious tourists searching for details on ferry schedules and other helpful information about getting to the BVI from St Thomas at one of the busiest times of the year.

Many residents expressed disappointment after one observer pointed out that the BVI Tourist Board’s booth at the STT airport has been left empty for some time now and the Greeter Service previously operated by the agency appears to have been discontinued.

The observer, a local resident of the territory, posted a hypothetical scenario on social media about a first-time visitor to the BVI arriving at the neighbouring airport and anxiously awaiting information about a ferry that may have been delayed and alternative options if there is a delay.

In the scenario, the first-time visitor comments that it is advertised on all media platforms that someone from the BVI Tourist Board would be there to assist visitors. However, they were at a lost for words, given the empty booth and a baggage claim area that was packed.

The resident pointed out that they would probably be forced to sleep in St Thomas if they had not known their way around.

A 2018 release on the government’s website noted the return of a greeter service at the airport and at the Wilmoth Blyden Ferry Terminal after the 2017 hurricanes, however, it is unclear if this was ended after the Virgin Islands Party (VIP) administration took office in 2019.

According to the release, BVITB staff were expected to meet and greet travellers en route to the BVI, delivering a concierge service that provides a seamless travel experience.

“The St Thomas Greeter Service which debuted in 2015, was created to guide travellers destined for the BVI”, former BVITB Director Sharon Flax-Brutus said at the time. “We are excited to offer this service to our guests creating a professional BVI experience even before they arrive on our shores. This saves our guests time and provides them with peace of mind”.

BVI News reached out to the BVITB Director, Clive McCoy for a comment on the matter but our news centre did not receive a response up to the time of publication. 
Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Deputy attorney general's second day of meeting with Ghislaine Maxwell has concluded
Controversial March in Switzerland Features Men Dressed in Nazi Uniforms
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
Thai Civilian Death Toll Rises to 12 in Cambodian Cross-Border Attacks
TSUNAMI: Trump Just Crossed the Rubicon—And There’s No Turning Back
Over 120 Criminal Cases Dismissed in Boston Amid Public Defender Shortage
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
The Podcaster Who Accidentally Revealed He Earns Over $10 Million a Year
Trump Announces $550 Billion Japanese Investment and New Trade Agreements with Indonesia and the Philippines
US Treasury Secretary Calls for Institutional Review of Federal Reserve Amid AI‑Driven Growth Expectations
UK Government Considers Dropping Demand for Apple Encryption Backdoor
Severe Flooding in South Korea Claims Lives Amid Ongoing Rescue Operations
Japanese Man Discovers Family Connection Through DNA Testing After Decades of Separation
Russia Signals Openness to Ukraine Peace Talks Amid Escalating Drone Warfare
Switzerland Implements Ban on Mammography Screening
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
Pogacar Extends Dominance with Stage Fifteen Triumph at Tour de France
CEO Resigns Amid Controversy Over Relationship with HR Executive
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
NVIDIA Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Demand
US Revokes Visas of Brazilian Corrupted Judges Amid Fake Bolsonaro Investigation
U.S. Congress Approves Rescissions Act Cutting Federal Funding for NPR and PBS
North Korea Restricts Foreign Tourist Access to New Seaside Resort
Brazil's Supreme Court Imposes Radical Restrictions on Former President Bolsonaro
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Judge Criticizes DOJ Over Secrecy in Dropping Charges Against Gang Leader
Apple Closes $16.5 Billion Tax Dispute With Ireland
Von der Leyen Faces Setback Over €2 Trillion EU Budget Proposal
UK and Germany Collaborate on Global Military Equipment Sales
Trump Plans Over 10% Tariffs on African and Caribbean Nations
Flying Taxi CEO Reclaims Billionaire Status After Stock Surge
Epstein Files Deepen Republican Party Divide
Zuckerberg Faces $8 Billion Privacy Lawsuit From Meta Shareholders
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
SpaceX Nears $400 Billion Valuation With New Share Sale
Microsoft, US Lab to Use AI for Faster Nuclear Plant Licensing
Trump Walks Back Talk of Firing Fed Chair Jerome Powell
Zelensky Reshuffles Cabinet to Win Support at Home and in Washington
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
Irish Tech Worker Detained 100 days by US Authorities for Overstaying Visa
Dimon Warns on Fed Independence as Trump Administration Eyes Powell’s Succession
Church of England Removes 1991 Sexuality Guidelines from Clergy Selection
Superman Franchise Achieves Success with Latest Release
Hungary's Viktor Orban Rejects Agreements on Illegal Migration
Jeff Bezos Considers Purchasing Condé Nast as a Wedding Gift
Ghislaine Maxwell Says She’s Ready to Testify Before Congress on Epstein’s Criminal Empire
Bal des Pompiers: A Celebration of Community and Firefighter Culture in France
FBI Chief Kash Patel Denies Resignation Speculations Amid Epstein List Controversy
Air India Pilot’s Mental Health Records Under Scrutiny
×