USVI Rejoins Caribbean Tourism Organization

The U.S. Virgin Islands rejoined the Caribbean Tourism Organization this week, a win-win scenario, local and regional tourism officials said Thursday.

The Barbados-based CTO helps market the Caribbean as a whole while identifying key strengths and needs of its 25 individual member countries and territories, said Faye Gill, director of the organization’s membership services.

“We are working with member countries, stakeholders, and partners to develop strategies and programs to increase visitor arrivals and visitor spend, but we are especially recommitted to the integration of sustainability practices, wider community engagement and preparing our members to be able to respond to potential future shocks to the sector,” Gill told the Source Thursday.

U.S. Virgin Islands Tourism Commissioner Joseph Boschulte said rejoining the group was a valuable opportunity to assess the territory’s position, identify new best practices, and engage neighbors in much-needed inter-island travel.

“Having an opportunity to work alongside our Caribbean brethren, and in some cases, competitors, is always important,” Boschulte said. “It gives you the opportunity to gather data from different islands — in terms of visitors and attractions and satisfaction — and allows you to really gauge your position.”

He said it was difficult to grow the territory’s tourism product without the outsider perspective…