BVI Chamber of Commerce
Advocacy Survey: What's on Your Business Mind?
Tortola, BVI - With a firm dedication to representing your interests, the BVI Chamber of Commerce (BVICoC) engages with legislators, policy advisors, and key stakeholders to lobby for the creation of an enabling environment conducive to business growth and innovation. Recognizing the vital role played by small businesses as the cornerstone of our economy, the BVICoC prioritizes initiatives aimed at enhancing access to financing, reducing operating costs, and ensuring efficient public services. To inform
OECS Trade Expo 2023 - Excellent Trade Opportunity for Local Small Businesses
The Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) is hosting a virtual regional trade exposition to connect small- and medium-sized businesses with suppliers and buyers for a three-day networking event in May 2023. This event will allow business exhibitors to opportunities to have real-time interactions with consumers, producers and buyers, cost-effective marketing, and to gain more knowledge of their industry. The BVI Chamber of Commerce and Hotel Association (BVICCHA) is coordinating the local
Anegada: The True Optimist
The Chamber of Commerce and Hotel Association (BVICCHA) visited with businesses in Anegada on Wednesday, 6 October 2021. The team was eager to hear the concerns of the businesses and determine how to get their needs met. The most urgent needs are listed below. More visitors are urgently needed.Government fees are becoming more and more unsustainable.Residents reported traveling to Tortola to pay for a work permit that was marked ‘complete’ only to learn that it wasn’t and have to pay to return to pick it
From the Chairman's Desk: Your Chamber Needs You!!!
The past eighteen months have been a chaotic time for Virgin Islands business owners to keep their doors open, and on behalf of the BVI Chamber of Commerce and Hotel Association’s Board of Directors, Management and Staff, I salute all business owners for the persistence they have shown in safeguarding lives AND livelihoodsduring this global health crisis. We especially appreciate our membership for their continued support of the crucial work we do on behalf of the business community. Your business success
BVICCHA Partners with OECS to Discuss Needs of Local Manufacturers!
On 30 July, BVICCHA partnered with OECS to have a dialogue with Virgin Islands ‘makers’. This meeting was quite productive as the Competitive Business Unit (CBU) for the region was keen to learn more about the needs of the manufacturing sector in the region. The points the Executive Director, Keiyia J George pointed out were: The need for a networking platform where businesses can meet to find suppliers or goods;Support with garnering trade agreements so that trade within the region can be
BVICCHA Hears the Woes of Virgin Gorda Business Stakeholders
The BVI Chamber of Commerce and Hotel Association met with business stakeholders on Virgin Gorda last week, on Wednesday, 28 April 2021, as part of its new initiative to engage businesses across the territory. The focus of the meeting was to discuss their unique hardships and wins since international travel restarted in December 2020, as well as opportunities for improvements. The business owners who were present were not shy with their comments and offered questions/concerns regarding the timeliness of
BVICCHA Warns of Delayed Economic Recovery
As the proactive Voice of Business, the BVI Chamber of Commerce and Hotel Association (BVICCHA) is continuing to raise concerns that the tourism sector is on life support. We are disappointed at the news that the opening of seaports has been delayed for a second time since the initial announcement to open seaports in December 2020. The seaports are the main point of destination access into the Virgin Islands and a further delay to April 2021 at the end of the regular tourism season is another blow to an
BVICCHA Weighs in on New Port Fees
Recently, the BVI Ports Authority issued a press release indicating that they were increasing fees for services the authority offers. Immediately with the release, businesses began to contact the BVI Chamber of Commerce and Hotel Association (BVICCHA) and complain. What's very disheartening is that back in September 2020, the BVICCHA reached out to the authority's public relations office to inquire about fee increases and if any were coming for 2020. The reply received said, "…the BVI Ports Authority has
Woes of Businesses Are Heard by BVICCHA
As the advocate for all local businesses, the BVI Chamber of Commerce and Hotel Association (BVICCHA) continues to hear the outcries of businesses still struggling to plan the remainder of their 2020/2021 Tourism Season as 1 December looms over everyone's head. Notably, the following concerns have been registered: How will visitors get to the Sister Islands? What’s the protocol for testing once there?The reopening portal (http://bvigateway.bviaa.com/) was scheduled to have been ready by 1 November, and it
Irreversible Economic Damage Inevitable Without Urgent Strategic Action
The BVI Chamber of Commerce and Hotel Association (BVICCHA), as the proactiveVoice of Business is raising the alarm that the current economic condition is grim and the anxiety and concerns of the majority of stakeholders in the Virgin Islands economy are well-founded. Based on recent accounts by affected business owners, the economy is in free-fall with reports of revenue having fallen by 30% - 40% for some small businesses in the last six (6) months and some as much as 60% in the tourism sector with the
BVICCHA Offers Pandemic and Economic Recovery Recommendations
Today, we would like to share the tireless work the BVICCHA has been proactively doing on behalf of the business community from the onset of this pandemic, recognizing the perceived economic fallout that would result and the predicted recession that would follow. We pause here to thank the Premier and the Minister of Health and their teams for their early and diligent response to the global pandemic to safeguard our community. We stand in support of public health and safety as the priority and we pledge to
BVICCHA Encourages Premier to Set Phased Reopening Dates for Tourism Sector
On Monday, 15 June 2020, the BVICCHA’s Hospitality Committee, in partnership with the Tourist Board, hosted a Hospitality Industry Stakeholders meeting with over 150 stakeholders. Out of this meeting came a few concerns from the industry: 1) Can the territory not have a phased reopening for the different micro sectors; 2) Can the industry get a definite phased reopening date so they can market and prepare accordingly; 3) Are there resources the Government may need that the private sector can assist with;
BVICCHA Encourages Proactive Action in Preparing for the 2020 Hurricane Season
In light of the significant impact of COVID-19 on our businesses, human resource and economy, coupled with the potential impact of the 2020 Hurricane Season, the British Virgin Islands Chamber of Commerce & Hotel Association (BVICCHA) strongly urges the Private Sector and the Public Sector to take proactive measures in safeguarding all human resource, other resources and operations due to the threat of the highly active predicted 2020 Hurricane Season.BVICCHA further notes and emphasizes that hurricanes are
BVICCHA Hosts Regional Networking Reception
The BVI Chamber of Commerce and Hotel Association (BVICCHA) hosted 40+ businesses from Guadeloupe, Martinique, Saint Martin, St. Lucia, French Guyana, Metropolitan France, and Barbados in a networking session with local businesses. In its second year, the Caribbean Business Tour North is cruising 9-16 February 2020. The BVICCHA arranged for local businesses in gari processing, Arts And Craft, Fashion, Industrial Painting, Water Sanitation, Business and Professional Services, Hairdressers, and Renewable
