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Thursday, March 28, 2024
HomeNewsLocal governmentSen. James Strengthens Relationship With Department of Tourism

Sen. James Strengthens Relationship With Department of Tourism

Sen. Javan E. James Sr. (right) met with Commissioner Joseph Boschulte (left).

Today Sen. Javan E. James Sr. met with Commissioner Joseph Boschulte to discuss creating a focus group at the Department of Tourism to develop creative ideas about promoting sports tourism in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

“There is $1 million dollars allocated towards sports tourism in the budget, and we need to focus on how we can utilize that funding to attract more sport tourism to the territory,” said James.

Sports tourism is currently one of the fastest growing million-dollar industries that will help stimulate the local economy because it will circulate direct spending using Virgin Islands sports facilities, hotels and food vendors, and it will create employment opportunities as well as tax revenue. During the economic growth, it would also provide quality entertainment and the opportunity for local teams to participate.

The senator and the commissioner also discussed investing in and marketing Virgin Islanders involved in the music industry as Virgin Islands ambassadors, along with the future of festivals and carnival in the territory. Today’s meeting was a follow-up based on the line of questioning from James at a Committee on Finance Budget hearing held on July 18.

The senator plans to partner with the Department of Tourism and the Department of Sports, Parks and Recreation to develop innovative ideas to promote sports tourism. “Commissioner Boschulte has promised to make sports tourism one of his priorities in the department. As the vice chair of the Committee on Culture, Historic Preservation and Aging, I will continue to provide my legislative oversight and continue conversations with the Department of Tourism and Sports, Parks and Recreation to attract bigger events in the field of sports and recreation,” James said.

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