RFP for National Tourism Plan Soon
Premier Dr. Natalio Wheatley has announced the government will issue a Request for Proposals (RFP) for a national tourism plan, with the work expected to be completed sometime in 2026. The move is part of a wider push to strengthen strategic planning, align ministerial priorities with budgeting, and bring expert input to tourism, economic and sector-specific strategies.
Natalio Wheatley has confirmed that the Government of the Virgin Islands will soon issue a Request for Proposals (RFP) to develop a national tourism plan, with the completed plan expected sometime in 2026. Speaking at a recent press conference, Dr. Wheatley said the RFP is intended to bring external expertise to help shape a comprehensive strategy for the sector. "The RFP should be going out soon for the tourism plan," he said, adding that the government is "nearing the end of the tourism policy" and considering a draft policy alongside the forthcoming plan.
The announcement is part of a broader effort to improve strategic planning across government. Wheatley explained that the work follows the National Sustainable Development Plan and aims to ensure ministerial priorities are clearly communicated to public officers and statutory boards responsible for operationalising those priorities. "We are aligning those ministerial priorities with our budgeting process," he said.
Key areas the national tourism plan is expected to address include cruise tourism, air access, product development and the sustainable management of tourism assets. Calls for a comprehensive tourism strategy date back to at least 2022, when the Premier first signalled a need to modernise the sector.
The RFP, Wheatley said, will help ensure expert input in shaping a document that reflects those priorities. Cabinet has also appointed an Economic Advisory Council to assist with broader economic planning. The Premier emphasised the government is putting structures in place to create continuity and sustainability in government action, and acknowledged past weaknesses in planning. "The government has not always been strong in this particular area as it pertains to our planning, but that's something that we're strengthening," he said.
For residents and tourism industry stakeholders in the BVI, the RFP and the resulting plan could shape future policy on visitor capacity, infrastructure investments, cruise management, air services and product development. Officials have said the process will be tied to budget planning, suggesting the plan may influence funding priorities in coming years.
The public should watch for the formal RFP release and any opportunities for consultation once the procurement process begins.
Primary source: BVI News