The reopening of Peter Island Resort shows that the tourism industry in the Virgin Islands is returning to its “former glory,” according to Premier Natalio “Sowande” Wheatley.
The resort, which celebrated with a ceremony on Saturday, welcomed tourists back this month for the first time since it was ravaged by hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017.
“Peter Island is luxury,” Mr. Wheatley told the Beacon. “It is natural beauty. And it’s been a part of the BVI brand for so long. You can’t really say that tourism is back in the BVI without Peter Island.”
The extensive revamp saw the 52-room resort’s main facilities moved to Dead Man’s Beach. The reimagined island now boasts a yacht club, a 10,000-square-foot seaside spa, and a conference centre that can host 150 people.
‘Two angry sisters’
Speaking at the Saturday ceremony, resort president David Van Andel said he had cried when he saw the devastation wrought by the twin hurricanes.
“We weren’t sure if we would ever get to this point,” he said. “October 2017 [was] the day that everything stopped on Peter Island when two angry sisters appeared: one by the name of Irma and the other by the name of Maria. Irma did the most damage: She came through, and her wrath pretty much took everything down on this island and elsewhere in the territory and left it in shambles.”
Mr. Van Andel also spoke of his childhood connection to the island and the emotional impact of the hurricane damage.
“I came down two weeks later to visit and see what happened, and I cried,” he said. “It was an emotional experience. We grew up on this island, my siblings and I. To see it totally destroyed in that manner, I wasn’t prepared for that. We decided that day that we were going to rebuild. It’s been a long journey. I can’t tell you all the things we faced.”
‘Gorgeous’ resort
Mr. Wheatley, who is the tourism minister, also spoke at the event, describing the revamped resort as “gorgeous.”
“There is no Peter Island without the Virgin Islands, but there is also no Virgin Islands without Peter Island,” he said. “We are excited to see the return of one of the most prestigious resorts not only in the territory but in the region.”
The premier praised the luxury facilities at the resort, which he said will attract an exclusive clientele.
“Peter Island Resort and its management are contributing immensely to promoting destination BVI within that market and that stratosphere, which will not only benefit this resort but many of our complementary tourism businesses, such as the tours, restaurants, bars and other attractions across our islands,” he said.
Mr. Wheatley added that the reopening is a symbol of the territory’s resilience and prospects.
“In 2017 when this resort was destroyed, a piece of the BVI was destroyed,” he said. “But, of course, we always have the opportunity when we are knocked down to get back up.”
Mr. Wheatley plans to attend a summit at Peter Island in January aimed at helping guide the creation of a new tourism strategy for the territory.
Delays
The relaunch comes after a series of delays.
The resort initially planned to reopen in December 2021, but officials said the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic delayed that target.
Early this year, operators said it would be back up and running by October, but that restart date slipped back to November and then early December.
Accommodation rates start at $1,000 a night, plus taxes and fees.
