Consultant Appointed to Help Small Hotels

Guest houses and small inns make up a sizeable proportion of the available accommodations in the BVI.  In a move designed to bolster their share of the tourist business, the Government has announced the appointment of a marketing consultant to specifically concentrate on helping the small hotels, guesthouses, and villas, according to Premier Ralph O'Neal, also the Minister for Tourism.   Speaking to the House of Assembly during the recent 2008 budget presentation, Premier O'Neal announced the appointment of Mrs. Zoe Walcott-McMillan as a consultant with the British Virgin Islands Tourist Board.

The Premier's Office says the consultant will be expected to assist the Premier in developing a Small Properties Development Plan, providing advice on the overall development of the Territory’s small properties, and developing a strategy for marketing and promoting the BVI’s inns and villas.  According to Mrs. Rosalie Adams, Permanent Secretary in the Premier's Office, the appointment of Mrs. Walcott-McMillan became effective Feb. 1st of this year and is for an initial six-month period.

The consultant is also tasked with recommending and developing industry guidelines and service standards for the efficient management and operation of small properties; liaising with Government organisations directly and indirectly related to the development of small properties; and developing a training and development strategy for management and staff of small properties in the Territory.