Travel Agents Uniting to Support British Virgin Islands’ Long-Term Recovery

A long-term recovery effort for the British Virgin Islands initiated by a U.K. inbound travel company is garnering the support of leading U.S. travel agencies, including Brownell Travel of Birmingham, Ala. The British Virgin Islands were among areas pummeled by hurricanes Irma and Maria, leaving islanders without essential services and in many cases homeless.

David Tobin, owner of Dream Escape, which customizes high-end trips to the U.K., was living on Tortola with his wife and three young children when Hurricane Irma struck. He and his family got seats on one of the last planes out. Now Tobin, whose firm is based in Edinburgh, is heading up a drive to fund a recovery plan for the British Virgin Islands.

“The devastation in BVI is just extreme, and the majority of people there are quite poor and work in low-level supporting roles in the tourism industry,” Tobin said. With the islands’ tourism industry in tatters, locals who are already suffering because their homes were damaged or destroyed, and with critical services and supplies lacking, now find themselves without jobs.

As the tourism season gets under way, Tobin is concerned that locals will depart BVI in search of jobs elsewhere, creating a labor shortage. “We’ve got to have people hang around, and we’ve got to support them. These are people who are critical for BVI’s tourism.”

BVI White Cedar Fund
Tobin, whose own firm does not operate in the Caribbean, wanted to go beyond immediate relief and focus on ensuring the future of BVI’s essential tourism industry. He is setting up a fund and asking donors to commit to making monthly payments, rather than give lump sums, so money will be available well into the future.

One U.S. travel agency that has stepped up to the plate is Brownell Travel. “This will be our main corporate philanthropic initiative for several years to come,” said Haisley Smith, vice president of marketing and development. Brownell and Dream Escape are both members of Virtuoso.

The goal of Tobin’s initiative, named the BVI White Cedar Fund after the region’s territorial flower, is to deliver monthly assistance over the long term to specific initiatives that will help get businesses back on their feet and provide education for children. “Let’s not just throw things at people. Let’s find out what they need and create a plan for efficient gifting,” said Tobin, who will leverage his local connections towards that end.

One priority will be workforce training aimed at improving service levels and making the British Virgin Islands more competitive with other Caribbean destinations. “This is an opportunity to create an even better tourism industry. To a large extent they’ve got a blank canvas,” Tobin said.

A website currently being developed –– http://www.bviwhitecedarfund.com –– will provide details on specific projects, and donors will receive monthly updates on progress. Donations will be collected via a partnership with the travel industry nonprofit Tourism Cares.

Travel agency embraces effort
Brownell is matching donations made by its employees and independent contractors. The agency is also reaching out to other Virtuoso agencies and overseas partners to urge them to get onboard and is designing white label promotional materials that other firms can adapt for their use. Smith said so far industry response has been overwhelmingly positive.

In addition to a client email blast, Brownell will promote the fundraising initiative at client events it hosts around the country, and it plans to make “a big splash” at its annual November meeting with employees, associates and some 50 suppliers. “We’re making this a long-term initiative and committing to promoting it,” Smith said.

Brownell has experienced a flood of concern about the British Virgin Islands from clients, many of whom have been traveling to the region for decades, Smith said. “They’re worried about the people. It’s been a compassionate rush of ‘how can I help?’”

Smith’s message to other travel agents? “Don’t be shy about asking clients to support this,” she said. “A modest monthly donation will go a long way. We love the BVIs, and we need to show them that and thank them for the years of great travel experiences they’ve given our clients.”

Added Tobin: “People have a love affair with BVI. It’s not an inexpensive place to go, yet the majority of the people who support the industry earn very little. So, really, is it too much to ask to help these people bring something back on track that will have a multiplier effect?”

Other ways to support BVI
Another industry effort focused on the long-term reconstruction of the region is the BVI Community Support Appeal, which is backed by The Virgin Group, Unite BVI and Richard Branson.