What's Happening in the House?
What's Happening in the House? Tourism Numbers Surpass One Million Visitors The numbers are in and our tourism industry is showing strong growth! 🇻🇬 During a recent sitting of the House of Assembly, Premier and Minister of Tourism, Honourable Dr.
Tourism Numbers Surpass One Million Visitors The numbers are in and our tourism industry is showing strong growth! 🇻🇬 During a recent sitting of the House of Assembly, Premier and Minister of Tourism, Honourable Dr. Natalio Wheatley, reported that the Territory welcomed 1,071,716 visitors between January and September 2026 — a 28.3% increase compared with the same period in 2025.
This is the earliest the Virgin Islands has reached one million visitors in a year. Cruise tourism led the growth, with arrivals increasing by 38.0%, while overnight visitation also rose by 7.9%, bringing an additional 18,741 overnight visitors to the Territory. While these figures are encouraging, day-trip arrivals declined by 9.2%.
The Government recognises the need to strengthen performance across all visitor segments, with a continued focus on expanding overnight visitation, increasing visitor spending and enhancing the tourism experience throughout our islands. As the Government advances the National Tourism Policy 2026–2036 and develops the accompanying National Tourism Strategy, the focus remains on ensuring that tourism growth translates into greater opportunities for Virgin Islanders, stronger local businesses and sustainable benefits for our communities.
Watch this edition of What’s Happening in the House for the latest on the Territory’s tourism performance and the work ahead. #PremierOfTheVirginIslands #POVI #WhatsHappeningInTheHouse
Primary source: Virgin Gorda Community Board (Facebook)