Senator Carla Joseph issued the following statement today from Seatrade Cruise Global, which took place from April 7-10, 2025, in Miami, Florida. She and members of her staff had the opportunity to attend a number of forums and workshops on the industry, sustainability, technology, and entertainment as they relate to the competitive tourism-based economy of the Caribbean, of which the U.S. Virgin Islands are a part.
“The Seatrade Cruise Global is the largest cruise event in the world. It provides an opportunity to see the latest trends, learn about various destinations, and see what the industry and its patrons are looking for in selecting markets and services for guests each year.
While we here in the Virgin Islands have had success with our tourism product over the years, we cannot take any opportunity to meet and showcase our best to the world for granted. This involves not only our Government leaders at the roundtables and forums but also being inclusive to include our Tourism industry service providers and products, which increase our gains in supporting our local economy, industries, and businesses in the hospitality sector, as well as products and services we offer in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
At the Seatrade, we witnessed other islands display their locally distilled rum, while the U.S. Virgin Islands only showcased and offered samples distributed during a happy hour. We must seize every opportunity to showcase our products, services, and hospitality offerings.
As it relates to the rum industry, the Government of the Virgin Islands should include our rum companies in our marketing efforts in light of the thriving cruise products and services industry. This opportunity could only help as there’s a global decline in distilled spirits consumption and the uncertainty of congressional actions that will cure the difference in rates in the rum cover-over for the Virgin Islands.
While the Seatrade Cruise Global 2025 has come to a close, there are still opportunities as we move ahead to rethink and partner with our private sector in marketing product U.S. Virgin Islands to the world. It will represent a win-win for our government, tourism industry partners, and the various industries of the U.S. Virgin Islands, which will benefit us all. Team U.S. Virgin Islands is what we must be united on, at the forefront of the global stage, to celebrate our islands’ destinations, offerings and trade potentials while securing our market share in the tourism industry for the future.
I look forward to working with our Port Authority, Department of Tourism, and other community business stakeholders to implement the mechanisms and support needed to keep the U.S. Virgin Islands a leading competitor in the Caribbean Tourism Market.’
