The U.S. Virgin Islands just completed a whirlwind of media appointments and meetings at TravMedia’s International Media Marketplace (IMM) in New York City at the Jacob Javits Convention Center on Wednesday, Jan. 25 and Thursday, Jan. 26.
International Media Marketplace is the leading global networking event in the travel industry connecting top destination marketing executives with travel journalists, editors, influencers and broadcasters. Participants traveled from all over the world last week to be at the convention for professional development, networking and a series of valuable one-on-one appointments.
Assistant Commissioner of USVI’s Department of Tourism Alani Henneman-Todman and DCI’s account director Ayana Young met with over 40 national and international journalists and influencers.
Assistant Commissioner Henneman-Todman said, “The IMM conference was a great opportunity to meet and reconnect with veteran and emerging media and leaders in the travel media industry. We are excited to build on these relationships and welcome new media to explore the U.S. Virgin Islands, including St. Croix, St. Thomas and St. John.”
The NYC two-day travel media convention kicked off with the TravMedia Summit on Wednesday, Jan. 25, with professional development not only for journalists but also for destination marketing organizations.
The renowned global travel journalist and anchor of CNN’s “Quest Means Business,” Richard Quest. Other important panels were led by top broadcast and media professionals from CBS, The Washington Post, Fodor’s, The Lonely Planet and CruiseCritic. The topics of sustainability, as well as indigenous tourism, were featured.
This year will be exciting for the USVI. The three-island territory has reported the highest hotel occupancy rate in the Caribbean with 72.5% from June 2021 to May 2022 and revenues to match. Already 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.
Also, in 2022, Conde Nast Traveler ranked the USVI in its prestigious Readers’ Choice Awards as the Best Islands in the World.
The U.S. Virgin Islands will head to the Routes Americas Convention in Chicago from March 21 to 23, which will provide a platform for the V.I. Department of Tourism to meet with senior decision-makers about the region’s air services.
