Longing for Pristine Beaches and Turquoise Waters? Travel This Winter and Spring to the Jewel of the Caribbean, The United States Virgin Islands
New York, NY
|
January 19, 2023 03:20 PM Eastern Standard Time
Recently, the Commissioner for the U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism, Joseph Boschult conducted a satellite media tour to share tips on how to best experience the U.S. Virgin Islands. If you are longing for pristine beaches and turquoise waters, the U.S Virgin Islands offers some of the best beaches and resorts found anywhere in the world.
A video accompanying this announcement is available at: https://youtu.be/V2al2NCSyZQ
New year, new outlook, new travel plans!
About 40 miles east of Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands comprise a United States territory located in the northeastern Caribbean Sea. The three islands are St. Croix, St. John, and St. Thomas. Major U.S airlines offer direct daily flights from the U.S. mainland and Puerto Rico to the islands.
The islands are perfect for leisure or business travel, the U.S. Virgin Islands features breathtaking, world-renowned beaches, an international marine industry, European architecture, and a burgeoning restaurant industry. No passports are required from U.S. citizens traveling from the U.S. mainland or Puerto Rico.
Resilience in Tourism During Covid and the Great Comeback
With three to four ships visiting per day, the USVI is one of the largest cruising destinations in the Caribbean. Before the pandemic, cruising injected over $300 million into the local economy and accounted for about 70% of the tourism business.
Unlike other islands in the Caribbean, the airports in the USVI never closed. In addition, implemented an online travel screening portal and worked closely with all of their local partners, including restaurants, hotels, excursion companies, and other tourism-related businesses. The USVI is gearing up for a very successful 2023. USVI had the highest increase of visitors in the Caribbean from 2019 vs 2022.
Best Places to Travel to in 2023
The editors of Conde Nast Traveler put the USVI at the top of its Best Places to Go in 2023 citing the islands’ new hotels, resort openings, the national park, and Carnival festivals. The editors at Travel + Leisure ranked USVI as one of its 50 best 2023 destinations in its “For Beach Vibes” section. Yahoo! Life listed the USVI as one of the top ten tropical islands to get to in under three hours from the U.S. Readers of Porthole Cruise and Travel Magazine voted USVI as the Best Caribbean Cruise Destination for 2023. Frommer's also gave the island territory top billing in its annual Best Places to Go in 2023 list.
New Brand Campaign: Naturally in Rhythm, what that Means for the USVI
The campaign is designed to supports the hotel recovery and to inspire visitors to fall naturally in rhythm with the diverse culture, natural wonders, and beautiful hotels and resorts of St. Thomas, St. Croix, and St. John.
The new campaign also reminds visitors that they can come again to escape the stresses of city lifestyles and to invite newcomers to imagine tasting our unique cuisine, laying on our powdery beaches, swimming in our pristine waters, and exploring our historic cobblestone streets and protected national parks. It speaks to travelers seeking an authentic Caribbean experience comprising food, heritage, culture, and nature without having to leave U.S. soil.
Among other aspects of the campaign is the revamped USVI tourism website, which contains a more comprehensive trip- planning section that highlights restaurants, shops, services ,and other businesses that cater to tourists in the destination. In addition to dynamic content, the site uses new imagery that keeps it authentic and enthralling at the same time.
Food- Sharing and Culture
Local signature USVI dishes include Johnny Cakes, deep-fried bread made from cornmeal; pate, a ground beef, chicken, or salted cod wrapped in dough and deep-fried; peas and rice, kidney beans with brown rice; or fungi, the Caribbean version of polenta. Locally made fish soup is served for breakfast, lunch, and/or dinner. Another popular dish is callaloo soup, which is made with daheen plant leaves, okra, local herbs, and sometimes meats or seafood. Wash it all down with a local Cruzan Rum signature cocktail.
The USVI is rich with historic and cultural influences include Danish, French, Spanish and African - Danish the most prevalent. Carnivals are celebrated in the USVI in December/January on St. Croix, June/July on St. John, and April/May on St. Thomas.
For more information visit: visitusvi.com
BIO: JOSEPH BOSCHULTE
Joseph Boschulte is the Commissioner for the U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism.
Commissioner Boschulte brings over 30 years of experience in business, finance, and government to the tourism department. The Commissioner has held high-level positions in transportation, utilities, telecommunications, finance, government development and investment banking with a proven track record of improving organizational performance and growth.
Boschulte formerly served as President and CEO of The West Indian Company Limited (WICO), Chief Financial Officer of both the Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority, the Government of the Virgin Islands Employees’ Retirement System, and chaired the VI Public Services Commission.
Additionally, Boschulte serves as the former Vice President of Institutional Advancement at the University of the Virgin Islands (UVI), Executive Director for UVI’s Reichhold Center for the Arts, Senior Vice President of Corporate Finance with Wachovia Securities in Atlanta, and Vice President of Banc of America Securities in Charlotte and New York City.
Currently, Boschulte serves as the Chairman for the Board of Directors of The West Indian Company Limited (WICO) and sits on the board for the Virgin Islands Port Authority. He is also a member of the US Travel Association.
Commissioner Boschulte earned his MBA from Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia.
A family man first, Commissioner Boschulte is a husband to his wife Aisha, and proud parents of children Jaeden and Janae.
Contact Details
YourUpdateTV
+1 212-736-2727
