The U.S. Virgin Islands are starting to see tangible evidence of a significant rise in tourism, to the point where it is outperforming other Caribbean destinations, according to the Caribbean Journal.
The US Virgin Islands welcomed 415,749 air arrivals in 2020; while that was a 35.1 percent reduction compared to 2019, it was a far smaller decline than the 65.5 percent visitor decline the wider Caribbean saw last year.
"We are incredibly thankful for the leadership of Governor Albert Bryan Jr, Lieutenant Governor Tregenza Roach, Commissioner of Health Justa Encarnacion and the countless Virgin Islanders - from our policymakers and the business community to grassroots organizers - for their thoughtful actions, which continue to protect precious lives as well as livelihoods," US Virgin Islands Tourism Commissioner Joseph Boschulte said.
Hotel occupancy in the USVI dropped by 29.1 percent but, again, significantly less than the 52.5 percent reduction for the wider region. Average daily rates improved by 43.3 percent, well beyond the 2.4 percent average increase across the Caribbean.
Airlines have also boosted occupancy by increasing the number of flights to the area.
"We must continue to press on and deliver results for our industry and for every Virgin Islander," Boschulte said, "but not at the expense of relaxing adherence to public health and safety protocols such as wearing face masks and maintaining physical distance."
The USVI has also begun an aggressive vaccination push, as 20,000 people have already received the first dose. That's 20 percent of the population.
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