U.S. Virgin Islands Reports 7.4 Percent Increase in Visitors

U.S. Virgin Islands Reports 7.4 Percent Increase in Visitors

Tourist arrivals to the U.S. Virgin Islands between January and October 2010 totaled more 865,000 guests, a 7.4 percent increase over the same period in 2009, according to government officials.

We’re extremely pleased to see our air arrivals continue to grow steadily because it is a key indicator of tourism growth for our hotels, taxi drivers, restaurateurs, vendors and other retailers, said Tourism Commissioner Beverly Nicholson-Doty.

The statistics are drawn from figures compiled by the Virgin Islands Port Authority and Robert Arthur, an aviation consultant. Nicholson-Doty added that fall and winter airline service increases will boost capacity to the U.S.V.I. to 23,000 passengers a week.