The prospect of more cruise ship passengers at Trunk Bay has to be one takeaway from word that the Governor is making a renewed effort to persuade cruise line operators to increase their visits to the Territory.
Gov. John de Jongh appeared at an international trade exhibition in Florida to pitch for more business. He brought along, and introduced to the cruise line managers, his new Chief of police and half a dozen government executives.
“Our objective is to get increased growth at all our ports,” he said, especially in the off season. “More cruise calls during the period that traditionally sees a lull in tourism would promote economic growth, revenue and employment opportunities throughout the year,” the Governor said.
Several cruise lines include St. John on their itineraries by arriving off Cruz Bay early in the morning and ferrying day trippers to the island. Naturally, cab drivers are hawking tours and retail shops open early to take advantage.
His trip to Florida was another example of how the Governor is working to generate new revenues for the Virgin islands. The impending body blow to St. Croix, when the oil refinery closes, is spurring de Jongh’s outreach to the cruise lines, as well as federal agencie and emergency funding.
Promote St. Thomas Beaches. Leave St. John ALONE.
More is NOT always better!!!!!!
We were in Venice last year and all we heard from everyone was how much damage the cruise business was doing to the environment and business. You get the thousands of people dumped on the town but they spend little time there. They rarely eat on shore and buy small trinkets. On St. John they wouldn’t even do that. Just drop on beach.
As a dive instructor, that has worked around the world, I can sat the USVIs have some of the best diving and visibility available underwater. Yet, the islands do NOTHING to market this. Divers stay for longer than a day trip, have disposable income, and are a money machine to those islands that promote their undersea jewels. Overtures to the tourism folk in the USVIs has fallen on deaf ears…all they care about are selling jewelry to tourists. Dumb and shortsighted, as usual.