Commissioner Joseph Boschulte

11/12/2023

With a 198% increase in searches on Skyscanner, the United States Virgin Islands has been recognized as a top five trending destination to visit in 2024.

Our territory offers everything travelers are looking for in a vacation destination — gorgeous beaches, rich history, a welcoming community and vibrant culture — without requiring a passport to visit. That kind of convenience, paired with the undeniable allure of our islands, is difficult to beat.

The team works diligently to elevate the USVI and keep it a top-of-mind destination for travelers around the globe. Here’s to continued success and economic growth in the year ahead!

Read more about this ranking from Travel Off Path:

Where are American tourists traveling to? These are the top 10 trending destinations to visit in 2024 according to Skyscanner.

26/07/2023

I am excited to share that WNBA Breakout All-Star and St. Thomas native Aliyah Boston is now an official tourism ambassador for !

Throughout her budding career, Aliyah has already accumulated a host of impressive accolades that have propelled her forward as both an athlete and professional. From being the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 draft to her two consecutive years of being named SEC Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year, Aliyah’s talent and determination continue to set her apart.

Aliyah proudly carries the spirit of the U.S. Virgin Islands in all that she does. I could not be more pleased with this partnership opportunity and look forward to seeing her continued success as she represents our territory.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CvKqUlzrqCu/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA%3D%3D

15/02/2023

is excited to resume our partnership with the Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA) to showcase the to the prestigious audiences that the FCCA helps us reach, along with great opportunities for strategic meetings within the cruise industry.

The projects a full cruise recovery this year, with passenger volume expected to return to 2019 levels. The Territory will also receive an additional 440,000 cruise guests from Royal Caribbean International in 2023 – with St. Croix welcoming 140,000 of those visitors, almost tripling its current annual total, and St. Thomas hosting the remaining 300,000, a 70 percent increase. Additionally, we continue to welcome new ships, including Celebrity Cruises Beyond making her maiden voyage to St. Thomas in November 2022.

The relationship between FCCA and the United States Virgin Islands continues to grow from strength to strength. Under the leadership of USVI Tourism Commissioner Joseph Boschulte, our longest strategic partner has recommitted to lock arms with us on a strategic development agreement that will benefit the Territory’s cruise tourism sector. Objectives of the agreement include access to key decision makers, travel agent outreach and more. We are grateful to our Presidential Partner for its continued support of our work to advance the Caribbean cruise industry. For more details, see our press release here: http://www.f-cca.com/press/FCCA-USVI-Strategic-Partnership.html

06/02/2023

Travel Market Report's headline says it all: Poised for a Huge Year. At the Dept. of Tourism, we’re looking at 2023 as the year to bring tourism back to pre-pandemic numbers.

We’re on the right track with new properties, rich culinary experiences and more:
– Hotels: Frenchman’s Reef (featuring two new properties, the Westin Beach Resort and Spa at Frenchman's Reef and Buoy Haus Beach Resort), The Ritz-Carlton, St. Thomas (recently completed a $100 million renovation), and Lovango Resort + Beach Club (opened last year)
– Culinary: Blue 11 and Indigo 4 newly opened by Chef David "Benji" Benjamin
– Cruises: Ubersoca Cruise (blending classic Caribbean Carnival vibes with luxury cruising), Royal Caribbean International (ramping up routes to the Territory), Celebrity Cruises (The Beyond made her maiden voyage to St. Thomas)
– Excursions: Carambolazipline (newly opened in St. Croix) and Tan Tan Tours (a scenic off-road jeep tour in St. Croix)

New hotels, restaurants, and excursions highlight the United States Virgin Islands' plans for 2023. 

29/07/2022

has not only rebounded since navigating the uncertainty of the pandemic — we’re breaking records while forging a path to recovery.

With the highest hotel occupancy rates in the and a 153% surge in visitor arrivals in Q1 2022, tourism in the is stronger than ever.

Read the article below to learn more about our recovery, which the Caribbean Journal touts as, “…one of the biggest success stories in Caribbean since the onset of the pandemic.”

It’s been one of the biggest success stories in Caribbean tourism since the onset of the pandemic: the US Virgin Islands.

07/07/2022

St. John Celebration is a uniquely experience. After two years of limited festivities, we were thrilled for USVI Festivals to bring the Carnival back in full force.

Residents and visitors alike came out to enjoy the best of the , including traditional food, calypso and soca music, dancing, mas parades and more. Coinciding with Emancipation Day and Independence Day, St. John Celebration is truly a testament to how far our territory has come.

Hillary Bonner from News of St. John recapped some of the most memorable moments from the week in her recent article, linked below.

While the stunning beaches of St. John are top of mind for travelers who , it is our people and vibrant culture that make this community one of a kind. I invite you to come soon to experience it yourself.

Good Morning, Good Morning! What a weekend! St. John surely came alive this year for our first carnival since 2019. The people, the parades, the music, the

06/07/2022

I am looking forward to engaging with the community and sharing ’s successes during this evening’s “Inside the Cabinet” Virtual Town Hall program.

We’ll be chatting about our territory’s incredibly successful 2021-2022 tourism season, future initiatives designed to maintain the ’ status as a top tourism destination and preparations for the upcoming season.

Tune in to the livestream tonight at 6PM via the Government House - US Virgin Islands page.

01/06/2022

Effective immediately by order of the Governor, the requirement for the U.S. Virgin Islands Travel Screening Portal for all domestic travel to and from the U.S. Virgin Islands has been removed. ✈️

Another reason to 🔜🇻🇮

Federal guidelines and restrictions continue to apply to all international travel, including travel from the British Virgin Islands.

https://caribbeantravel.com/u-s-virgin-islands-removes-travel-restrictions-for-domestic-travelers-effective-may-31/

15/02/2022

Being a trailblazer is nothing new for Rashida Hodge, who pursued her earliest dreams growing up in St. Thomas to spectacular career achievements in the technology and artificial intelligence industries. This USVI Tourism Ambassador shone last week while ringing the opening bell at Nasdaq with Black Women on Boards, an organization that seeks to increase diversity at the board level of major corporations.

11/02/2022

It is a sad day for USVI Tourism and Virgin Islanders the world over who are mourning the loss of Athniel C. “Addie” Ottley, an icon and a giant in our close-knit community. Addie was beloved, trustworthy and a true believer in grassroots engagement and action. From his service as a senator and former Lieutenant Governor to his broadcast career and incomparable legacy at WSTA and WTJX, Addie exemplified the very best of Virgin Islands passion, pride and professionalism, always welcoming visitors with a warm Virgin Islands 'Good Morning'. We extend our sincere condolences to his entire family, countless friends and infinite admirers.

10/02/2022

USVI Tourism appreciates and supports the efforts of Governor Albert Bryan Jr. to draw attention to the issue of intra-regional . While in Washington, D.C. recently the Governor also shared his ideas on boosting tourism in the region. Read more here: https://conta.cc/3ARChsZ

31/01/2022

Welcome back, Divi! We can’t wait for the full reopening of the re-imagined Divi Carina Bay Beach Resort & Casino on St. Croix on February 1st. This adults-only, all-inclusive resort features newly-renovated guest rooms, two pools, a casino and much more.

St Croix’s first-ever adults-only all-inclusive is set to debut on Feb. 1 with the Divi Carina Bay on the east coast of the island.