VIslanders urged to share data to measure economic impact of festivals

ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI- Virgin Islanders are being urged to be more willing to provide information on the impact of festivals and events on the local economy.

Benson Tyson from the Central Statistics Office made this appeal while speaking on Virgin Islands Voice, aired on Facebook on Wednesday, July 24, 2025.

He emphasised the importance of collecting data to assess the economic effects of festivals and events in the Virgin Islands.

Typson stated, “Festivals cost money, and while we celebrate culture, there’s also a financial aspect. The funding comes from both the government and private sectors, and they would want to see a return on their investment. At the end of the day, we need to collect the data to better plan for future festivals.”

He also noted, “I am not sure if festivals have been explicitly measured in the past. I've seen questionnaires prepared and sent out to taxi drivers, hoteliers, and others, but responses have always been a challenge.”

He continued, “The government and stakeholders need to understand the impact of festivals and be willing to share some of the required data when questions are asked. From the perspective of measuring activities, the Central Statistics Office is available, and while we haven't explicitly measured the impact before, we did conduct a survey in 2022.”