The US Virgin Islands (USVI) have been quickly positioning themselves as a brand new main vacation spot within the Caribbean in 2024.
The numbers again them up. Within the first half of 2024, this American abroad territory noticed a 26.5 % bounce in tourism arrivals over Q1 in 2023.
Traits predict that by the top of 2024, USVI may have a rise of as much as 24 % in air guests, in comparison with final 12 months.
The truth is, St. Thomas has been designated as the highest home vacation spot for US vacationers, based on a survey revealed by journey group Expedia a couple of weeks in the past.
A part of this success is as a result of improve in routes connecting the mainland to the islands, stated Tourism Commissioner Joseph Boschulte. And extra are arising.
“One of many issues I’m very proud to say is we’re getting new carry coming into St. Croix… Frontier coming into St. Croix for the primary time and JetBlue coming again. It’s essential not just for serving to to make connections again to the mainland but additionally by the Caribbean,” he stated.
In a bid to spice up the native tourism sector and place their model as a robust participant within the Caribbean, the USVI Division of Tourism hosted its first-ever summit on the Westin Resort at Frenchman’s Reef a couple of days in the past.
“We proceed to be a frontrunner in regional tourism,” stated Boschulte through the occasion.
For many of its historical past, the USVI had not acquired giant plenty of stayover vacationers because the islands used to give attention to cruise tourism.
However with the appearance of the pandemic, the vacation spot was pressured to shift its goal to stayover tourism, permitting it to expertise a progress by no means seen earlier than.
The principle cause the federal government expressed for holding the summit was the necessity to speed up the event of companies which might be a part of or instantly related to the business. A number of weeks in the past, Boschulte defined its significance.
“From the Division of Tourism employees to lodge, restaurant, boutiques, outlets and attraction employees, taxi drivers, and everybody who shares a welcoming smile with guests, the collaborative efforts don’t go unnoticed and have reflectively proven within the fixed will increase in visitation numbers.”
But when the USVI wish to place themselves because the undisputed chief within the area, they must overcome robust rivals.
To this point in 2024, not less than 11 islands have damaged all data and surpassed the variety of guests they used to obtain earlier than the pandemic.
A few of these islands embrace Aruba, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Curacao, the Cayman Islands, Bonaire and Antigua and Barbuda.
