Tourism in the US Virgin Islands “continues to elevate,” with sizzling arrival numbers, strategic marketing programs and a continued buzz across the US territory.
That was certainly the takeaway as the U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism delegation, led by Commissioner Joseph Boschulte, traveled to Montego Bay, Jamaica, for the 42nd Annual Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association’s recent Caribbean Travel Marketplace.
As part of the event, Boschulte participated in a press conference attended by more than 30 international journalists, where he shared updates on the territory, including hotels, airlift, cruise, awards, and more.
“Every year, we look forward to attending the Caribbean Travel Marketplace as it is one of our most preeminent opportunities to showcase the U.S. Virgin Islands updates to suppliers, media, and our regional counterparts,” Boschulte said.
In addition to the marketplace meetings, department members attended the 3rd annual Caribbean Travel Forum hosted by CHTA.
The forum featured presentations highlighting the ForwardKeys Caribbean Trends Report and panels providing industry updates.
Lisa Hamilton of the USVI Hotel and Tourism Association represented the territory as a panelist to discuss Regional Sustainability and Resiliency.
This year, the USVI continues to grow exponentially and has been a regional leader in Caribbean tourism’s resurgence.
The destination was cited in the 2024 Forward Keys Report as the top-performing business destination and retained an 18 percent increase in overseas tourist arrivals versus 2023.
“The U.S. Virgin Islands tourism products continue to elevate, which is a testament to the hard work of many individuals who together showcase the best of the territory,” Boschulte said. “From the Department of Tourism staff to hotel, restaurant, boutiques, shops and attraction staff, taxi drivers, and everyone who shares a welcoming smile with visitors, the collaborative efforts do not go unnoticed and have reflectively shown in the constant increases in visitation numbers.”
