The readers of one of the world’s leading travel magazines have picked the island of St. John in the United States Virgin Islands among the Top 5 destinations in the Caribbean, Bermuda and the Bahamas.
Following the results of the “Travel + Leisure” 2012 World’s Best Awards readers’ survey, St. John — with its tranquil beaches, stunning vistas and history preserved among the many sugar plantation ruins found throughout the island — was ranked number five in the vast region, sharing the spotlight with neighboring Vieques in Puerto Rico (1), Harbour Island in the Bahamas (2), Virgin Gorda in the British Virgin Islands (3) and the Grenadines in the Southern Caribbean (4).
“St. John continues to be a top-of-mind destination in the Caribbean region and we appreciate the confidence travelers have placed in our territory,” Department of Tourism Commissioner Beverly Nicholson-Doty.
Nicholson-Doty thanked the magazine and its readers for their appreciation of the island’s assets.
St. John had already been listed in Arthur Frommer’s Top 10 favorite travel spots for 2012, a testament to the quality of the vacation experience in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Reinforcing the case were the top mentions in this year’s Travel + Leisure survey for The Ritz-Carlton, St. Thomas and Caneel Bay, A Rosewood Resort on St. John, which were both listed among the Top 25 resorts in the Caribbean, Bermuda and the Bahamas.
“We are very proud of these resorts and encourage all of our partners in St. Thomas, St. Croix and St. John to continue striving for excellence in today’s competitive environment,” said Nicholson-Doty.
Every year, “Travel + Leisure” asks its readers which industry suppliers represent the very best in travel. The results of the 17th annual “Travel + Leisure” World’s Best Awards survey, revealing readers’ favorite hotels, cities, islands, cruise lines, airlines, car-rental agencies, safari outfitters, and tour operators, are listed on www.TravelandLeisure.com now, will be featured in the August digital editions on iPad®, NOOK Color™, and Kindle Fire™, and they are the cover story for the August issue of the magazine, on newsstands July 20.
For more information about the United States Virgin Islands, go to VisitUSVI.com, follow on Twitter (@USVITourism) and become a fan on Facebook (www.facebook.com/VisitUSVI).
When traveling to the U.S. Virgin Islands, U.S. citizens enjoy all the conveniences of domestic travel — including on-line check-in — making travel to the U.S. Virgin Islands easier than ever.
As a United States territory, travel to the U.S. Virgin Islands does not require a passport from U.S. citizens arriving from Puerto Rico or the U.S. mainland.
Entry requirements for non-U.S. citizens are the same as for entering the United States from any foreign destination. Upon departure, a passport is required for all but U.S. citizens.
