British Virgin Islands Resorts Diving

Since then Virgin has expanded into air and rail travel, mobile phones, finance, retail, internet, drinks, hotels and leisure, with around 200 companies in over 30 countries.

In 2000 Virgin launched a series of new businesses including Virgin Cars, Virgin Wines, Virgin Student, Virgin Money.com, Virgin Energy and Virgin Travelstore.com. In September 2004, Sir Richard signed a £14m contract to have five 'spaceliners' built in the US, set to take Virgin passengers into space by around 2008. The married father-of-two, who was knighted for his "services to entrepreneurship" in 1999 successfully combines his passion for ingenuity and creativity into an organic multi-interest business driven by enterprise and excitement.

The Caribbean not only plays an integral part in Sir Richard's business empire, it's also a region he's been in love with for three decades. When Sir Richard, bought the beautiful British Virgin Island Necker he found, the perfect retreat from the demands of leading a multi-million dollar corporation. So when he needs to get away from it all, you'll find Sir Richard in a laid back beautiful part of the world, that shares the same values as the young hippy destined to create a business and lifestyle phenomenon.

Sir Richard Branson started business life as a hippy entrepreneur with a flair for publicity. Born in 1950 and educated at Stowe School, he went into business at 16, publishing Student magazine. By the age of 20, he was the subject of a television documentary. Having originally founded Virgin as a mail order record company he later opened his first store, in London's Oxford Street. The Virgin Records music label was formed in 1972.

How did your relationship with the Caribbean begin? I was in America doing a record company deal nearly 30 years ago and the then boss of CBS Records asked if Virgin was named after the Virgin Islands. I was a young man in my 20's who didn't really know where the Virgin Islands were, so I was determined to have a look.

How often do you visit and which islands most frequently? I have to confess that I tend to go to the places where Virgin flies, because that is where I do business in the Caribbean. I went on the inaugural Virgin Atlantic flight to the Bahamas and Cuba last June. In the last 12 months I have also visited, Antigua, Barbados and Grenada. In the 1980's I spent a lot of time in Jamaica, trying to sign Reggae bands!

What's your favourite island (besides Necker) and why? Well, I'm sorry, it's Necker and I absolutely love it. I think in some ways though, I would have to answer Cuba, simply because it is so interesting as the world's last communist state with so little of the world touching it. I know it will change in the future so every time I visit the country, I just marvel at all the contrasts with our 'identikit' global culture.

If you had to spend a year in the Caribbean how would you spend it? I spent a lot of time in the Caribbean in 2005 as we are starting a lot of businesses in America. These include Virgin Galactic, our space tourism project, Virgin America, our new airline. Only recently I was in New York launching Virgin Vines, our branded wine venture for the US market. With all this going on, I find it easier to be based in Necker on the same time zone rather than constantly flying backwards and forwards from the UK. Also our kids have now left the nest and it was my wife Joan's 60th birthday this summer so we were keen to spend more time together and using Necker as a base allowed us to do that.

What's the story behind Necker? When did you buy it? How much for? How often do you go there? Who's the most famous celebrity guest? It's quite simple, Joan and I were down looking at properties in the Virgin Islands in the early 1980's and we flew over Necker Island in a helicopter and fell in love with it. The asking price was £3 million. No way could we afford that but months later in London, the owner came back to us and we eventually settled on £180,000! Even at such a low price there was a snag: the Virgin Islands' government had decreed that whoever bought Necker Island would have to develop it within five years or it's ownership would pass to them. It would cost a good deal to build a house and develop the place. We were determined to make enough money to afford it. Eventually we did and it has become a beautiful jewel in the Virgin Islands. Our most famous celebrity guest was Princess Diana, who tragically died less than a year after her last visit.

New flights started last summer to the Bahamas and Havana, where else do you see Virgin Atlantic expanding to in the region? We would love to fly to Jamaica and are hoping to start services next year.

Virgin Holidays is one of the biggest operators to the region... what's been the secret of its success and what are your plans for the future?

A number of different things have led to success at Virgin Holidays. People going on a long haul flight do not want to be crammed into a non chartered flight with no seat back entertainment, no choice of food and a worry or not if the plane would come back for them! By putting holiday customers on a scheduled jumbo jet with all of Virgin's extras, we broke the mould of the old package holiday market. Virgin holidays itself has continued that trend with far better service than it's rivals, such as it's 'chill out, check in' service at your hotel.

What are your predictions for the Caribbean... where's new and upcoming? I think anybody involved in the travel business has to face the fact that 2005's hurricanes spooked some customers as far as the Caribbean is concerned for summer time and it will take a couple of years to recover from that. But it will remain unsurpassed as a winter destination.

Can the Caribbean compete with its ever-increasing number of rivals, from the Indian Ocean to the Middle East? Yes, I believe it can, as it does not have the political risk that they do perceive in most of the Middle East, with the exception of Dubai. The Indian Ocean is clearly a fantastic destination but is much more ecological fragile that the Caribbean and the Islands, such as the Maldives, are far more at threat from any rises in sea level.

What's the biggest change you've seen since you started going to the Caribbean? The change has been dramatic. 30 years ago, the Caribbean was generally much poorer than it is today but ironically the tourists were much richer. Now, the region has developed a major tourist industry and prospered sufficiently to begin to create the infrastructure to support it.

What's your most memorable Caribbean moment? I have had loads but one particular I will never forget is when Joan and I decided to get married on Necker Island at Christmas time in 1989. I decided as a joke that I would get dropped by helicopter in a dinner jacket carrying a box of Cadbury's milk tray chocolates, just like the old British TV advert. I hit the water so hard that I had to limp through the marriage ceremony.

What's your tip for the hottest restaurant in the region and why? We are very spoilt on Necker in that we have Michelin star chefs, who we borrow from Le Manoir Aux Quat Saisons in England. Our guests who rent the Island privately from time to time always say it's the best food in the Caribbean. I once ate at The Cliff in Barbados and it was very good.

Your favourite resort (excluding Necker island) and why? Blue Waters in Antigua is sweet but there are lots of hidden jewels throughout the island that cater for every taste... and pocket.

Top 'must-see' in the Caribbean/ top must-do? No visit to Antigua would be complete without a helicopter ride over Monserrat to witness the power of nature over mankind, a town destroyed and people displaced.

On holiday:.. beach lounging or watersport action? Watersport action. In fact this year, I have finally learned to kite-surf but Iove sailing Hobie Cats and scuba diving as well. I don't beach lounge but do enjoy sitting in a hammock with a good book. Last summer, I read the frightening biography of Chairman Mao by Jung Ching (the lady who wrote that great novel 'White Swans')

Glitz and glamour in Barbados or rum shack in Dominica? Rum shack in Dominica

What is it about the Caribbean that you love? Everything.

Can you capture the spirit, the energy and the character of the Caribbean in 5 words? Let's do it tomorrow man!

Why do you think the Caribbean is such a Mecca to the stars and working class families alike? Because the sun shines all year and it's relaxed.

When you eventually decide to retire, will the Caribbean be the place?

About the author

Derrick's love affair with the Caribbean has led to the development of a number of businesses and initiatives dedicated to celebrating the region. A former publisher of Caribbean travel and lifestyle bookazines Derrick has attracted impressive commercial support from many top international travel and lifestyle brands.