U.S. Virgin Islands and Jamaica Discover Caribbean Tourism ‘Coopetition’

USVI Tourism Commissioner Joseph Boschulte (right) presented a portrait and an exchange of views with Jamaica’s Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett in Jamaica last week. (Photo submitted)

The U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism is keen to partner with its Caribbean neighbors on tourism-boosting initiatives as the region’s bread-and-butter sector recovers from the negative effects of the coronavirus pandemic.

Following a recent visit to Jamaica to meet with public and private sector stakeholders, Commissioner Joseph Boschulte of the VI reported on unleashing pent-up tourism demand.

Boschulte said an integral part of the recovery will be “co-petition,” a concept that Minister Bartlett supports.

“The Caribbean is the most sought-after warm weather destination and we know how to deliver world-class experiences to our discerning guests,” said Bartlett, who believes it is important to bring together the best minds in the region to promote Caribbean branding in the United States advance the global marketplace.

Commissioner Boschulte and Minister Bartlett agreed that the strengths of regional travel destinations must be used to overcome weaknesses, and they both observed trends emerging over the past 15 months, such as the loyalty and resilience of urban African American professionals working for travel recreation in both destinations.

“Regional cooperation is important to our success and we need to continue to share best practices, particularly on public health safety protocols, even when the travel community is vaccinated,” said Boschulte.

“Although we have made great strides in containing the spread of COVID-19, variant strains remain a cause for concern and we must be vigilant on all fronts to keep our communities and travelers safe,” Boschulte said.

Although summer bookings at USVI are robust, the Department of Tourism continues to push its marketing and promotional initiatives. “Despite this strong demand, we have to go into the market and strive to compete with the rest of the world every day, every week, every month of the year,” said the Commissioner.

The tourism director reported that the USVI is stepping up its marketing efforts this summer to be remembered by travelers, many of whom are already planning their fall and winter leisure and business trips.