The meetings discussed a broad range of tourism priorities and constraints, including:

• Strengthening tourism as a key pillar of economic growth and local employment
• Blue Economy opportunities, especially marine tourism, yachting, and sustainability
• Infrastructure needs such as airport and ferry improvements, and visitor access
• Cultural and heritage tourism development, including museums, sites, storytelling, and festivals
• Cruise tourism pressures, overcrowding and carrying capacity at major attractions
• Environmental management, including coastal protection, moorings, and waste issues
• Tourism standards, investment facilitation, and clearer governance arrangements
• Better tourism data collection, including the need for improved statistics and impact tracking

These consultations matter because they help the Virgin Islands:

• Influence the updated OECS regional policy so it reflects local realities and priorities
• Identify practical actions to strengthen tourism resilience and sustainability
• Improve coordination across government and industry to reduce inefficiencies
• Support long-term planning in key areas like infrastructure, environmental protection, and workforce development

Common themes and issues identified during the sessions included:

Tourism growth and diversification
The Virgin Islands highlighted the need to diversify beyond traditional offerings and expand experiences including culture, heritage, sports, and events.

Sustainability and environmental protection
Stakeholders raised concerns about reef damage, anchoring, marine waste, beach management, and the need for stronger environmental regulation and infrastructure.

Stronger governance and standards
There were repeated calls for clearer roles between agencies, improved coordination, and the development of enforceable tourism standards and modernised governance structures.

Better data for decision-making
The consultations emphasised improving tourism data collection and analysis, including approaches like exit surveys and the need to strengthen mechanisms for economic impact measurement.