USVI Honored by “Travel + Leisure” and “Scuba Diving” Magazines

Tradewinds staff
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St. John was ranked among the best destinations for beginner divers and snorkelers in Scuba Diving Magazine’s annual Best Of readers’ poll.
 
The U.S. Virgin Islands received numerous accolades in 2009 editions of two top national magazines — “Travel + Leisure” and “Scuba Diving.”
The destination was awarded top honors for three of its hotels in the January 2009 issue of Travel + Leisure magazine, topped by Caneel Bay Resort.
 
The annual “500 World’s Best Hotels” issue features the awards list “Top 25 hotels in the Caribbean, Bermuda and the Bahamas,” in which each of the three islands were represented.
 
Caneel Bay Resort ranked the highest at number 12, the Ritz-Carlton on St. Thomas was ranked number 14, and the Buccaneer on St. Croix was voted 15.
 
2009 marks the seventh year of Travel + Leisure’s annual top 500 ranking, in which an international team of reporters and editors carefully chose its picks for high-end hotels, resorts, inns and lodges from among thousands worldwide.
 
Recognition must be given to the management and staff of each of these award-winning properties for their commitment to service and guest experience.
 
Scuba Diving magazine recognized the territory for its famed scuba diving and snorkeling offerings with more than half a dozen awards in the “Top 100 Readers’ Choice Awards” January/February 2009 issue.
 
Among the awards for the USVI, highlights included top wall diving, top shore diving, top snorkeling and top overall value. St. Croix received six awards including “Top Dive Destinations in the Caribbean/Atlantic.” St. John and St. Thomas also received accolades as a top destination for snorkelers and beginner divers.
 
Approximately 5 million media impressions have been generated as a combined result of the destination’s outstanding honors in Travel + Leisure and Scuba Diving magazines.
 
“We’re proud to have our hotels and diving locations be so widely praised by two A-list publications,” said Department of Tourism Commissioner Beverly Nicholson-Doty. “We look forward to seeing the positive implications that this extensive publicity will have on U.S. Virgin Islands tourism.”