Roadtown, Tortola - Premier and Minister for Tourism Honourable Ralph T. O’Neal, OBE has welcomed the partnership established between the BVI Tourist Board and the BVI Charitable Fund for the staging of the 2009 and 2010 Virgin Islands Winemakers Dinners.
Speaking at a Press Conference to announce the partnership on Thursday, the Premier described the dinners as “a new dimension in the promotion of the Territory.”
He added that it is “a niche way of bringing people and exposing the Virgin Islands to people from so many different parts of the world.”
Honourable O’Neal said the initial series of dinners in 2008 received rave reviews. “I met people from all over Europe, America and the Caribbean and whoever I spoke to talked about the wonderful time and what a good idea it is and they will come back to visit the Virgin Islands,” he said.
The Premier expects the dinners to do a lot of good for the BVI, not simply in terms of promotion but also in the work of the local organisations which will benefit from the proceeds.
Chairman of the BVI Tourist Board (BVITB) Mr. Myron Walwyn also welcomed the newly formed partnership saying he was impressed with the work of the BVI Charitable Fund in its initial venture.
Mr. Walwyn said the BVITB’s interest was sparked in part by the fact that “it is a fund that is interested in helping to develop this Territory so we are very pleased to be part of it.”
Pledging the full support of the BVITB, the chairman added that “from a tourism standpoint, it is also another opportunity for us as a destination to showcase what we can do.”
Co-Chair of the BVI Charitable Fund, Mr. Ajit George said the partnership between the fund and the BVITB is made even more necessary because of the challenging economic climate that now exists globally.
“The BVI is a high-end destination and we think that even in the most difficult times, people like food and wine and tend to travel, they tend to be high-end and we want to reinforce the image that this is a high-end destination,” he said.
According to Mr. George, $160,000 was raised in 2008 and he expects the 2009 earnings to exceed that figure. The proceeds from the 2008 dinner series will benefit the St. Mary’s School on Virgin Gorda, St. George’s School in Tortola and the BVI Red Cross.
The 2009 Winemakers Dinners will be held July 16-19 and December 3 - 6. The BVI Charitable Fund was established in 2008 to create new and innovative fund raising events to benefit various charities in the British Virgin Islands by attracting support from both outside and within the BVI. Its partnership with the BVI Tourist Board is expected to help showcase the unique characteristics of the Virgin Islands and is in keeping with Government’s commitment to solidify the Territory’s leadership position as a diverse upscale niche market destination.
British Virgin Islands News