However, Commissioner Nicholson-Doty – who held bilateral talks with a number of cruise line executives during last week’s Seatrade Cruise Global cruise industry convention – warned that the landscape of the tourism industry continues to be challenging as lines reposition itineraries to the Western Caribbean and passengers demand a greater diversity of experiences.
She noted that during a meeting with the Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association’s (FCCA) top brass, the Ports of the U.S. Virgin Islands was commended for the progress made to implement harbor transportation in the Charlotte Amalie Harbor, which they described as “the single most important thing we can do for cruise tourism on St. Thomas.”
The Commissioner reported that the U.S. Virgin Islands was preparing to respond to the trend of purpose-driven travel and voluntourism by rolling out a number of projects that will be available for both cruise ship passengers and stayover visitors.
The Territory will also continue to prioritize providing authentic Virgin Islands experiences for visitors, such as food tours, historical site visits, educational rum distillery tours and the ability to purchase locally made art and products.
Governor Kenneth E. Mapp attends Seatrade
During a USVI-branded event at The Boatyard restaurant in Fort Lauderdale, Governor Mapp shared the Virgin Islands Government’s commitment to the industry and emphasized the importance of working with neighboring islands to build a strong cruise itinerary.
Discussion on The Future Outlook for Caribbean Cruising
At Seatrade, Commissioner Nicholson-Doty joined cruise executives for a panel discussion entitled Regional Spotlight – The Future Outlook for Caribbean Cruising, during which she underscored the post-hurricane resilience of both the Caribbean and the cruise industry, and spoke of the strong partnership the region shares with the FCCA.
With some cruise lines reporting higher post-hurricane guest satisfaction scores compared with pre-storm scores, FCCA President and panel moderator Michele Paige said: “The Caribbean is delivering, and delivering better than ever before.”
“Let’s be honest, the truth is that we live in a geographical area that makes us vulnerable, so we have to think about those things that harden our infrastructure so that if and when this happens again, we are even more prepared,” she said.
On the trade show floor, patrons learned more about the destination at the USVI booth, which featured colorful carnival dancers and a mocko jumbie, steel pan music and a sampling of Virgin Islands products.
“This year’s convention was especially meaningful given the importance of cruise visits to bolstering our economy as we carry on with the varying stages of our recovery,” said Commissioner Nicholson-Doty.
Before the official start of Seatrade, the Department of Tourism engaged in networking opportunities with Virgin Islands Tourism Ambassadors and members of the media, meeting planners and travel agents.
During the South Florida activation, Commissioner Nicholson-Doty met with several members of the media from outlets including The Miami Times, Cruise Critic, Travel + Leisure magazine, National Public Radio, Recommend, Insider Travel Report, Family Traveler, Cruise Addicts and Departures magazine.
