Madam Speaker:

I rise to update this Honourable House and the people of the Virgin Islands on our tourism industry’s performance in 2026.

The latest provisional visitor-arrival statistics show that, from January through September 2026, the Virgin Islands welcomed 1,071,716 visitors, up from 835,225 visitors during the same period in 2025.

Madam Speaker, this is the earliest the Virgin Islands has reached one million visitors in its history. It represents an increase of approximately 28.3 percent, or 236,491 additional visitors, over the first nine months of 2025.

Madam Speaker, this is an encouraging sign of the Virgin Islands’ continued strength as a tourism destination.

The figures show especially strong performance in cruise tourism. From January through September 2026, the Territory recorded 797,784 cruise passengers, compared with 578,315 during the same period in 2025.

This was an increase of approximately 38.0 percent, or 219,469 additional cruise passengers. The growth has benefited taxi drivers, tour operators, bars, restaurants, craft markets, and other sector vendors. New cruise-related businesses are emerging, and new safari vehicles are being built as we speak.

Overnight tourism also grew. Arrivals rose from 238,202 visitors in January through September 2025 to 256,943 visitors during the same period in 2026.

This was an increase of approximately 7.9 percent, or 18,741 additional overnight visitors.

Madam Speaker, growth in overnight visitation is significant because these visitors engage more broadly with the tourism economy, including accommodations, restaurants, transportation providers, charter and marine businesses, attractions, cultural experiences, and other locally owned enterprises.

Day-trip arrivals were the only segment to decline, falling from 18,708 in January through September 2025 to 16,989 in the same period of 2026—a decrease of approximately 9.2 percent, or 1,719 visitors.

A closer look shows growth in each of the first three quarters, with especially strong gains in August and September.

In the first quarter of 2026, January through March, total arrivals reached 612,263, compared with 494,065 in the first quarter of 2025—growth of approximately 23.9 percent.

First-quarter cruise arrivals rose by 29.3 percent, while overnight arrivals increased by approximately 6.2 percent.

In the second quarter, April through June, the Territory welcomed 254,304 visitors, up from 211,362 visitors in the same quarter of 2025—an increase of approximately 20.3 percent.

Second-quarter cruise arrivals again rose by approximately 29.3 percent, while overnight visitation outpaced first-quarter growth, increasing by approximately 10 percent over 2025.

The third quarter, July through September, was stronger still, the strongest third quarter in the history of the Virgin Islands. The Territory welcomed 205,149 visitors, compared with 129,798 in the same quarter of 2025—an increase of 75,351 visitors, or approximately 58.1 percent. Cruise arrivals rose by 95.1 percent, from 75,910 to 148,115, while overnight arrivals increased by 7.9 percent, from 47,013 to 50,734. Day-trip arrivals fell by 8.4 percent, from 6,875 to 6,300.

The monthly data clarify this result. July recorded 86,358 arrivals, compared with 83,366 in July 2025—an increase of approximately 3.6 percent. August arrivals reached 58,700, up from 25,973 a year earlier, an increase of approximately 126.0 percent. Provisional September estimates show 60,091 arrivals, compared with 20,459 in September 2025—an increase of 39,632 visitors, or approximately 193.7 percent.

Madam Speaker, September’s surge was driven mainly by cruise arrivals, which increased from 13,344 in September 2025 to 53,623 in September 2026—approximately 301.9 percent. Overnight arrivals rose from 4,860 to 5,044, or approximately 3.8 percent, while day-trip arrivals fell from 2,255 to 1,424, a decline of approximately 36.9 percent. These figures show the differing trends across our main visitor segments.

Madam Speaker, these figures confirm that demand for the Virgin Islands remains strong.

Cruise arrivals accounted for approximately 92.8 percent of the net increase in total visitor arrivals during the first nine months of 2026. While this growth is encouraging, we must address the more modest rise in overnight arrivals and the decline in day trips, while expanding each segment’s contribution to the wider tourism economy.

However, our goal must extend beyond counting arrivals.

We must ensure that increased visitation delivers economic participation and opportunity for Virgin Islanders, stronger tourism businesses, higher visitor spending, better visitor experiences, and sustainable benefits across all our islands.

This is especially important as the Government implements the National Tourism Policy 2026–2036 and develops the accompanying National Tourism Strategy.

Accordingly, the Government is focused not only on increasing visitor numbers, but also on improving the quality, competitiveness, and sustainability of the Virgin Islands tourism product.

We will continue prioritising marine and yachting, culture and heritage, culinary tourism, community-based experiences, events, product development and enhancement, destination management, and the visitor experience from arrival.

We must also expand overnight visitation and encourage greater visitor spending throughout the Territory, including on Virgin Gorda, Anegada, Jost Van Dyke, and our other islands and communities.

Madam Speaker, the first nine months of 2026 give us reason for optimism.

Overall visitor arrivals rose by 28.3 percent, cruise arrivals by 38.0 percent, and overnight visitation by 7.9 percent, demonstrating the strength of the Virgin Islands tourism brand and the resilience of an industry central to our economy.

At the same time, tourism success must be measured not only by arrivals, but by how well it improves livelihoods, creates opportunities for our people, supports local businesses, and protects the natural and cultural assets that make the Virgin Islands unique.

The Government will therefore continue working through the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sustainable Development, alongside the BVI Tourist Board, industry stakeholders, and the wider community, to manage this growth strategically and sustainably for the benefit of the people of the Virgin Islands.

Madam Speaker, I thank you.