CHALLENGES FACING BVI TOURISM -
Section III
Overnight
Visitors:
More
that 70% of the visitors who visit the territory are overnight holiday
visitors. By comparing the
overnight arrivals in 1990 and 1996 one will note that there was an
increase of 37.9%. From
176,613 visitors in 1990 to 243,683 overnight visitors in 1996. Because of such an increase within a short time, there is a need to
increase the number of facilities for the visitors in the near future.
Such facilities include hotels, guest - houses, rental apartments,
charters boats, etc. Overnight holiday visitors from the USA remained the dominant
group of visitors, accounting for approximately 63 percent of the
overnight visitors. Puerto
Rico and USVI followed with 17%, Europe 9%, Caribbean 5% and Canada 3%.
Accommodation:
In general terms,
accommodation forms a significant part of the tourism industry and brings
in significant amount of revenue to the economy. It also creates
employment opportunities when compared with other tourist facilities, such
as shops, restaurants, transport, etc. Over 85% of visitors'
expenditure are spent on accommodation. Accommodation for overnight
visitors can be categorized into categories.
- Land
base accommodation:
This
category includes hotels, guest - houses, villas and rental apartments.
There are 41 hotels in the British Virgin Islands with approximately 1201
rooms available at the end of 1996. The hotels are distributed as
follows: 22 on Tortola, 11 Virgin Gorda and 8 on the other islands.
There are about 88 villas and several guest- houses and rental apartments.
- Water
based accommodation: This category is mainly comprised of the yacht charting industry, which deals
with the renting of crewed yachts or bare boats. It also comprises
of marina facilities for yachts not registered in BVI. Thirty-six
companies in the B.V.Is. offer yacht chartering. The services
offered include bare-boat, skippered and sailing charters. There are
approximately 465 charter yachts, each has an average sleeping capacity of
5 persons. In most cases, more than half of all overnight visitors use
yachts for accommodation. Among the 41 hotels, there are 8, which offer
marina facilities.
Because accommodation is
an important element in servicing the tourists who come to the BVI, the
authorities should help the hotel owners to renovate and upgrade their
existing accommodation facilities and there should be a property
inspection programme to ensure that the standards are adhered. As
for the yacht industry, the authorities should encourage the mega-yacht
sector as a means of enhancing the overall yachting sub-sector.
There is also a need of assessing the carrying capacity of charter boats
is the territory. The Table 1.9 below shows the overnight visitors
and type of accommodation.
TABLE
1.9
OVERNIGHT
VISITORS BY TYPES OF ACCOMMODATION, 1981 - 1996
|
YEAR
|
|
TYPE
OF ACCOMODATION
|
|
|
HOTELS
|
BOATS
|
RENTED
|
OWN
|
FRIEND/NSD
|
OVERNIGHT HOLIDAY VISITORS
|
|
1981
|
31,756
|
61,230
|
2,509
|
10,036
|
-
|
105,531
|
|
1982
|
29,776
|
68,387
|
1,378
|
10,173
|
-
|
109,714
|
|
1983
|
30,973
|
72,597
|
1,026
|
11,423
|
-
|
116,019
|
|
1984
|
28,576
|
76,940
|
2,031
|
10,244
|
-
|
117,791
|
|
1985
|
29,054
|
84,604
|
1,698
|
10,647
|
-
|
126,003
|
|
1986
|
36,466
|
87,189
|
6,022
|
11,074
|
-
|
140,751
|
|
1987
|
43,620
|
93,593
|
17,720
|
17,791
|
-
|
172,724
|
|
1988
|
43,453
|
101,891
|
20,516
|
10,108
|
-
|
175,968
|
|
1989
|
42,221
|
105,841
|
14,858
|
14,154
|
-
|
177,074
|
|
1990
|
43,864
|
97,533
|
18,918
|
16,298
|
-
|
176,613
|
|
1991
|
36,266
|
61,555
|
13,937
|
14,506
|
20,766
|
147,030
|
|
1992
|
42,773
|
50,478
|
4,277
|
6,806
|
12,610
|
116,944
|
|
1993
|
71,782
|
71,712
|
3,814
|
767
|
52,099
|
200,174
|
|
1994
|
79,521
|
102,515
|
3,471
|
2,739
|
50,434
|
238,680
|
|
1995
|
68,536
|
101,360
|
2,091
|
1,310
|
46,213
|
219,510
|
|
1996
|
72,624
|
101,289
|
3,705
|
4,051
|
62,014
|
243,683
|
|
Source: DPU Statistical Abstract
|
Hotel
and Charter Boat Occupancy:
Generally room and boat
occupancy rates are high during the winter season (4months) and sharply
decline in summer. In some cases, the summer occupancy rate is less
than 50% of the winter season occupancy. The hotel room occupancy
rate has been fluctuating over the last ten years. The period from
October to May is usually considered the period of peak occupancy, with
December being the best month. The Table 1.10 below shows the hotel
and charter occupancy rates.
TABLE
1.10
HOTEL
AND CHARTER BOAT OCCUPANCY RATES, 1980 - 1996
|
YEARS
|
1989
|
1990
|
1991
|
1992
|
1993
|
1994
|
1995
|
1996
|
|
Hotel Rooms
|
58.9
|
58.1
|
59.3
|
56.6
|
45
|
45
|
48.9
|
59.3
|
|
Hotel Beds
|
55.5
|
58.4
|
55.5
|
52.1
|
35.4
|
42.2
|
47.6
|
57.1
|
|
Boats
|
..
|
50.2
|
53.4
|
54.6
|
55.5
|
54.9
|
55.8
|
53.7
|
|
Source: DPU : Statistical Abstract
|
In order to increase the
occupancy rates, marking efforts should be made to attract visitors from
other parts of the world.
Cruise-ship
Visitors
The British Virgin
Islands has a long history of cruise-ship tourist arrivals. For the
last five years, there have been fluctuations in the number of cruise-ship
arrivals, mainly due to the occurrence of adverse tropical weather
phenomena plus recession in the country of origin. The year 1993 was
a successful year for the cruise-ship visitors compared to other years.
For the first time in history, the cruise-ship visitor arrivals had
exceeded 100,00 to reach 113,245 visitors. This increase represents
an increase of 29.2% from the previous year. In 1994, visitor
arrivals dropped again by 27.3% to register only 82,396 visitors.
The cruise-ship study, which was done in 1992, indicated that the rates of
growth of the cruise-ship industry would continue to outstrip that of the
stopover business before the end of the century. There is a need for
the government to implement the recommendations made in this study.
The Table 1.11 below shows the cruise-ship calls and visitors by months.
TABLE
1.11
CRUISESHIP
CALLS AND VISITORS BY MONTHS, 1990 - 1996
|
|
1991
|
1992
|
1993
|
|
MONTH
|
CALLS
|
VISITORS
|
CALLS
|
VISITORS
|
CALLS
|
VISITORS
|
|
TOTAL
|
256
|
94,295
|
255
|
87,551
|
265
|
113,245
|
|
January
|
33
|
12,901
|
36
|
11,359
|
42
|
16,545
|
|
February
|
29
|
11,608
|
39
|
10,740
|
36
|
13,400
|
|
March
|
29
|
10,857
|
40
|
9,968
|
40
|
18,437
|
|
April
|
33
|
9,174
|
28
|
10,184
|
35
|
16,675
|
|
May
|
17
|
2,849
|
18
|
3,658
|
10
|
4,730
|
|
June
|
10
|
5,569
|
13
|
3,588
|
7
|
3,215
|
|
July
|
10
|
5,018
|
7
|
4,651
|
7
|
5,857
|
|
August
|
8
|
5,284
|
6
|
4,008
|
7
|
4,601
|
|
September
|
6
|
2,936
|
5
|
2,830
|
10
|
5,641
|
|
October
|
17
|
8,342
|
7
|
5,473
|
12
|
6,788
|
|
November
|
33
|
10,817
|
21
|
5,862
|
18
|
4,869
|
|
December
|
31
|
8,940
|
35
|
15,230
|
41
|
12,487
|
|
1995
|
1994
|
1995
|
1996
|
|
MONTH
|
CALLS
|
VISITORS
|
CALLS
|
VISITORS
|
CALLS
|
VISITORS
|
|
TOTAL
|
196
|
82,396
|
220
|
122,054
|
203
|
134,744
|
|
January
|
36
|
13,585
|
29
|
16,685
|
41
|
21,470
|
|
February
|
28
|
7,746
|
23
|
11,840
|
23
|
14,654
|
|
March
|
35
|
9,425
|
23
|
7,695
|
31
|
22,590
|
|
April
|
15
|
7,098
|
16
|
11,301
|
25
|
22,533
|
|
May
|
7
|
2,400
|
7
|
3,977
|
7
|
6,865
|
|
June
|
2
|
1,259
|
8
|
971
|
4
|
1,009
|
|
July
|
5
|
2,616
|
9
|
1,830
|
2
|
230
|
|
August
|
7
|
4,560
|
7
|
4,243
|
3
|
2,621
|
|
September
|
6
|
4,233
|
14
|
8,637
|
4
|
3,960
|
|
October
|
14
|
8,463
|
19
|
11,466
|
9
|
6,883
|
|
November
|
18
|
8,985
|
28
|
14,873
|
18
|
11,598
|
|
December
|
23
|
12,026
|
37
|
28,536
|
36
|
20,331
|
|
Source: DPU Statistics
|
Tourism Market
Composition:
For two decades now the
United States has been the British Virgin Islands major tourist market.
Other such markets are Europe, Puerto Rico and USVI, Canada, South America
and the Caribbean. The Table 1.12 below shows the flow of tourist by
country of residences.
TABLE
1.12
MARKET COMPOSITION OF VISITORS 1989-1996
|
COUNTRY
OF RESIDENCE
|
1989
|
1990
|
1991
|
1992
|
1993
|
1994
|
1995
|
1996
|
| United States
|
114,453
|
115,282
|
107,697
|
74,290
|
128,444
|
150,539
|
128,234
|
149,223
|
| Canada
|
8,355
|
7,913
|
5,323
|
3,910
|
6,440
|
7,112
|
6,566
|
4,814
|
|
Europe
|
13,534
|
13,699
|
9,356
|
9,931
|
18,887
|
22,536
|
21,478
|
23,043
|
|
Caribbean*
|
9,078
|
7,444
|
6,472
|
5,432
|
9,486
|
10,775
|
12,287
|
13,572
|
|
Puerto Rico/USVI
|
27,729
|
23,686
|
15,677
|
12,836
|
31,903
|
40,660
|
44,199
|
43,302
|
|
Latin America
|
1,880
|
1,617
|
1,124
|
1,118
|
3,016
|
4,416
|
2,472
|
2,400
|
|
Other/Not stated
|
2,045
|
6,790
|
1,381
|
9,427
|
1,998
|
2,642
|
4,245
|
7,329
|
|
Total
|
177,074
|
176,431
|
147,030
|
116,944
|
200,174
|
238,680
|
219,481
|
243,683
|
|
Source: DPU Statistical
|
If you look at the table,
you will note that there was a general increase of 19.2% of overnight
visitors by comparing with 1993 figures. In 1994, Europe showed a
sharp rise of visitors i.e. 193.6% increase, followed by Puerto Rico and
USVI with 27% increase, followed by USA with 17.2% increase. Because
of over-dependence on USA and fluctuations of tourism markets, there is a
great need to study other possible markets and determine the type of
promotion campaign necessary to overcome the over-dependence on the USA
market. As mentioned earlier the Europe market and other markets
have to be investigated immediately.
Tourist
Expenditure:
'Tourist Expenditures
Estimates’ provides valuable information about the channel through which
the tourist dollar cycle generates income in the economy. Tourist
expenditure naturally creates a flow off foreign currency into the
economy.This
inflow in turn creates additional business revenue, household income and
government revenue. Since the 1980’s the estimated total
visitors’ expenditure has increased at an average of about 20% annually.
For the last seven years, 1990 – 1996 the visitors’ expenditure was US
$132.6 million or a 5.9% increase over the previous year. In 1991,
the expenditure was US $109.7 million a drop of 17.3%. In the 1992
there was another decline of 4.1% and again in 1995 a decline of 1.8%.
The 1993 expenditure was US $185.1 million, a significant increase of
75.9% over the previous year. In 1994, the visitors spent US $215.0
million of 1.6% more over the previous year. Because tourist
expenditure is essential for stimulating the economic and general
development of BVI, a study should be made to increase areas of
expenditure which is not yet exploited, e.g., conference centres,
international sports events and other cultural activities which can be
shared by the visitors and locals a like. The Table below shows the
visitors expenditure from 1990 to 1996.
TABLE
1.13
VISITORS
EXPENDITURE 1990 - 1996
|
|
1990
|
1991
|
1992
|
1993
|
1994
|
1995
|
1996
|
|
Visitors
Expenditure
|
$132,631
|
$109,746
|
$105,220
|
$185,122
|
$215,005
|
$211,045
|
$227,558
|
|
Average Visitors
expenditure
|
418
|
372
|
377
|
556
|
654
|
578
|
552
|
| Source: DPU Statistical
|
The Table below shows the
visitors expenditure by type of visitor 1990 – 1996. From the
table you will note that tourist and charter boats tourist are leading in
terms of contribution to visitors’ expenditure.
TABLE
1.14
VISITORS
EXPENDITURE BY TYPE OF VISITORS, 1990 - 1996
(US $
'000')
|
1990
|
1991
|
1992
|
1993
|
1994
|
1995
|
1996
|
| Hotel Visitors
|
51,291
|
44,314
|
55,378
|
104,963
|
111,197
|
100,299
|
109,256
|
| Charter Boat Visitors
|
63,840
|
43,034
|
36,001
|
60,453
|
84,866
|
90,119
|
91,010
|
| Tourists in Rented Accommodations
|
8,495
|
9,298
|
2,728 |
2,559
|
3,225
|
1,999
|
2,182
|
| Tourists in Own Accommodations
|
931
|
2,506
|
1,213 |
140
|
522
|
282
|
319
|
| Tourists with Friends/NES
|
1,729
|
3,587
|
2,247 |
9,536
|
9,610
|
9,949
|
14,832
|
| Cruise-ship Visitors
|
2,894
|
3,034
|
2,908 |
3,863
|
2,302
|
4,557
|
6,216
|
| Excursionists (Day trippers)
|
894
|
981
|
1,399
|
177
|
198
|
568
|
218
|
| All Other Visitors
|
2,557
|
2,992
|
3,346 |
3,431
|
3,085
|
3,272
|
3,525
|
| Visitors Expenditure
|
$132,631
|
$109,746
|
$105,220
|
$185,122
|
$215,005
|
$211,045 |
$227,558
|
| Average Visitors expenditure
|
$418
|
$372
|
$377
|
$556
|
$654
|
$578
|
$552
|
| Source: DPU Statistical
|
In 1994 there were more
visitors than 1993, visitors in the territory expended a total of US $215.0
million. In 1993, the expenditure stood at US $185.1 million.
In 1996 tourist who stayed in hotel spent $109.3 million while in 1995,
they spent $100.2 million. Tourist who stayed in charter boat type
of accommodation spent $91.0 million, while in 1995 they spent $90.1
million or 6.1% more compared with the 1995 figures accommodation spent
$15.1 million, which is more than 49.5% compared with the 1995 figures.
There was also an increase in expenditure by cruise-ship visitors who
spent $6.2 million, which is more than 34.8% in the previous year (1995).
The excursionists spent $.2 million, which is less 66.7% from the previous
year.
Continued>
|
The