With frigid temperatures chilling many of the U.S. Virgin Islands’ key markets, the Department of Tourism’s marketing campaign, launched at the start of the high season, is reminding the traveling public that the territory is open for business.
Acting Tourism Commissioner Joe Boschulte said the department’s sales and marketing teams had embraced a multi-pronged approach to heighten the territory’s visibility in the marketplace.
Thousands of participants at both the Chicago Travel and Adventure Show and the Boston Globe Travel Show this month were keen to receive updates about the territory’s offerings.
Potential visitors will be apprised of the islands’ attractions this weekend when the USVI team exhibits the many attributes of St. Croix, St. John and St. Thomas at The New York Times Travel Show, which is expected to have thousands in attendance.
Also, Tourism Department officials will promote the territory at the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association’s Caribbean Travel Marketplace in Jamaica, the region’s marquee travel and tourism event. Some 1,000 industry stakeholders are expected to attend, including about 140 buyers of Caribbean travel from more than 20 global markets.
Building on the relaunch of the $3 million “Real Nice” marketing campaign to stimulate travel to the U.S. Virgin Islands at the start of winter, Boschulte reported that a second series of television ads started airing during the second week of January to help build business for the high season.
The half-million dollar media buy, which continues to air through this weekend, is reaching consumers across CNN, Comedy, E!, Food Network, Fox News, Investigation Discovery and Travel Channel networks, and is supported with digital advertising on social media.
“Our team is hard at work ensuring that our brand identity remains robust and relevant throughout the winter season,” said Boschulte, who added this was especially important as new hotel rooms come back online throughout the year.
Boschulte said the department was pleased with the increase in air service to both St. Croix and St. Thomas since the start of winter, and looks forward to welcoming the return of JetBlue Airways flights from Boston to St. Thomas in February.
About the U.S. Virgin Islands
More information about traveling to the United States Virgin Islands is online at VisitUSVI.com, and on Instagram (@visitusvi.) When traveling to the U.S. Virgin Islands, U.S. citizens enjoy all the conveniences of domestic travel – including online check-in. As a United States Territory, travel to the U.S. Virgin Islands does not require a passport for 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.
