DESTINATIONS CARIBBEAN | BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS
exper expert ASK THE Clive McCoy,
director of tourism, British Virgin Islands Tourist Board
“Around 10% of visitors to the BVIs are from the UK and it’s our third-most important market after the US and Caribbean
region. We’re a safe, laid-back destination that appeals to mature, well-travelled couples looking for new experiences as well as to families and sailing enthusiasts. Most guests stay seven to 10 days and visit at
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Bitter End Yacht Club has 10 new rooms; Rosewood Little Dix Bay, Virgin Gorda; Peter Island Resort reopened in December; Long Bay Beach Resort, Tortola PICTURES: William Torrillo/
photo.vi; Ken Hayden Photography
Clients can expect to find lively marinas, close-to-full hotels and vibrant beach bars packed with travellers knocking back ‘painkillers’, the rum-laced pineapple-and- coconut signature cocktail that has become synonymous with the good times to be had here.
REBORN RESORTS All-inclusive resorts may be all the rage in many parts of the Caribbean, but not here. Instead, the emphasis is on small, classy properties with high service standards – the largest, Rosewood Little Dix Bay on Virgin Gorda, has just 85 rooms. Here clients can relish complimentary treats such as afternoon tea, snorkelling trips and the chance to be dropped off on a castaway beach with a parasol and picnic. On the same island, Bitter End
Yacht Club unveiled the last of its 10 elegant new rooms in March. Dating from the 1960s, this chirpy,
26 29 MAY 2025 All-inclusive
resorts may be all the rage, but not here. The emphasis is on small, classy properties with high service standards
maritime-themed resort makes impressive use of upcycled hurricane debris such as ropes, lights, mooring balls and signs. A BVIs favourite, its return has been greeted with enthusiasm as yachties flock to its flag-festooned Buoy Room for stone-fired pizzas and partying. Equally game-changing is the
renaissance of the soaring privately owned Peter Island Resort, which reopened in December following a six-year rebuild. “We plan to be the
top luxury resort in the BVIs,” says general manager Edward Linsley. With five beaches, two pools, a superb steakhouse and palatial spa, plus 52 smartly appointed rooms, this is definitely one to watch. Also of note is the revived Long Bay Beach Resort, set beside mile-long sands on Tortola with 37 joyful rooms, complimentary yoga and a new sushi restaurant.
OUT AND ABOUT The BVIs are a premier sailing destination and many excursions are based around snorkelling, diving and dropping in on fun bars that range from the chic Cooper Island Beach Club, which has a microbrewery, to the anything-goes Willy T, a repurposed tanker off Norman Island. “A smart way for couples or
groups of friends to island-hop is on a shared by-the-cabin catamaran charter,” suggests Joyce Burnett, managing director of BVI
²
least two islands. Agents should note that nearly all of these are no more than a 25-minute boat ride from the gateway of Tortola, and we have one of the highest return rates in the Caribbean. Looking ahead, we have
exciting plans to open a new 150-room resort and to expand the airport at Beef Island.”
BVIS IN NUMBERS
Tourism arrivals in Q1 2025 compared with the same quarter last year:
+6.4%
Rise in overnight visitors, to 106,750
Rise in day-trippers, to 5,800
+60% -2.5%
Drop in cruise visitor arrivals
Source: Government of the Virgin Islands Central Statistics Office
travelweekly.co.uk
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52
