The British Virgin Islands continue their recovery

When Hurricane Irma crossed the Caribbean last September, it had a particularly hard impact on the spectacular coasts that 30,000 of my fellow BVIslanders and I call home.
But a year later, I am pleased to say that the efforts made by the local community, international volunteers and the BVI government have paid off. The beaches have been cleared, roads have been cleared, and visitors are flocking to the territory once again.
As the largest sector of the economy, the restoration of the tourism product of the British Virgin Islands was a high priority during the period immediately following the storm. There is still work to be done, but at the BVI Tourist Board we are proud to acknowledge the progress made over the past year. The BVI Reborn video gives an idea of ​​the progress of our recovery.
The rental yacht and sailboat industry was the first to recover, and some operators accepted an invitation to visit us as early as November 2017 to reactivate the winter season. The cruises resumed at Tortola Pier Park the following month, attracting thousands more visitors. Disney Cruise Line made its return a few days ago with much fanfare, and Norwegian Cruise Line will continue in the fall of 2018. We expect a remarkable season of 2018/2019 cruises with projections of more than 200 tickets and 400,000 passengers in Tortola Pier Park and Road Harbor only . In addition, we expect more than hundreds of entries from smaller boutique boats, to other islands, including; Anegada, Jost Van Dyke and Virgin Gorda, demonstrating the diversity of our destination to accommodate cruise ship visitors.
To date, many of the main tourist centers of the British Virgin Islands have also returned online. This includes: Scrub Island Resort & Spa, Cooper Island Beach Club, Guana Island Resort, Oil Nut Bay, Anegada Beach Club and more. Visitors will enjoy improved offers on several of these properties, including an expanded private beach on Scrub Island, and totally new glamping accommodations at Anegada Beach Club. In fact, Anegada has become an island of must-see thanks to its unique attractions such as world-class kitesurfing, incredible mounds of shells and bright pink flamingos. The only coral island in the group, Anegada has the third largest coral reef in the Caribbean, the Horseshoe Reef.
Oil Nut Bay has significantly improved its facilities, and this December, it will offer new and surprising one-bedroom suites with nighttime availability. A marina town that can accommodate yachts up to 40 meters, will also open in December. The complex's heliport, which facilitates the arrival of air along with the new facilities, will now give guests the freedom to explore the neighboring islands, embarking on a boat or helicopter, with ease.
Since August 15, there are 769 rooms on land and 2,930 cabins available throughout the territory. For the winter season, that number will increase to more than 1,000 rooms and 3,200 cabins. Necker Island is scheduled to reopen on October 1, with several of our luxury properties by the end of 2019, including Bitter End Yacht Club and Rosewood Little Dix Bay.
Traveling to the British Virgin Islands has never been so easy. We have recovered full capacity in terms of air transport and ferry service, and some airlines are even expanding the service between San Juan and Tortola.
In recent months, we have organized important events such as the annual BVI Spring Regatta and the Emancipation Festival, a celebration that highlighted our culture and endurance. This November, BVI Food Fete will return with a fantastic list of culinary events.
Reflecting on the lessons learned from Hurricanes Irma and Maria, the British Virgin Islands recognize the need to plan for the future. The government successfully restored 100% of the power in all of our islands in May 2018, while continuing efforts to strengthen our infrastructure in anticipation of future storms. Click here for information on the Virgin Islands Recovery and Development Act.
There is also a new Disaster Alert application launched by the BVI Disaster Management Department to improve disaster alert notifications for our residents and guests.