The U.S. Virgin Islands Commissioner of Tourism Joseph Boschulte extended a message of both gratitude and optimism to the territory’s tourism ambassadors and partners around the world, as he recapped the various challenges the islands faced in 2020.
Thanking members of the diaspora for their engagement and participation in promoting the destination, the commissioner highlighted one of the territory’s most recent honors of being named Destination of the Year by Caribbean Journal, a leading digital travel news publication focusing on the region.
In addition to recognizing the USVI’s longstanding popularity, as well as an early-2020 campaign to spotlight the island of St. Croix, the Caribbean Journal team doffed its cap to the territory’s swift and agile response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the implementation of its region-leading travel portal.
Beyond the year’s successes, Boschulte acknowledged the challenges the territory faced in 2020, while also looking ahead to the new year.
“Without a doubt, 2020 has been a turbulent year, and many of us have experienced anxiety and suffered loss. But it has also been a time when we have come together as never before to care for one another, to celebrate the values and people we cherish, to bear one another’s burdens, and to find solutions to overcome our challenges,” said the commissioner.
Boschulte also extended an invitation to the USVI’s partners and ambassadors, many of whom reside in the mainland United States, to share their thoughts and ideas on how best to build on the territory’s successes and strengthen activities or initiatives that need improvement.
The U.S. Virgin Islands is currently in the “Safer-at-Home” phase of the territory’s pandemic response, during which businesses are open but residents and visitors are urged to engage in activities with health and safety as a top priority and to limit exposure to others, especially groups.
Every traveler aged five or older who enters the U.S. Virgin Islands by air or sea, including anyone in-transit to another destination, is required to use the USVI Travel Screening Portal (www.usvitravelportal.com) and submit a COVID-19 test result prior to travel.
For more information about the United States Virgin Islands, go to www.VisitUSVI.com; follow on Instagram (@visitusvi) and Twitter (@usvitourism) or become a fan on Facebook (www.facebook.com/VisitUSVI).