US Virgin Islands Tourism Commissioner Joseph Boschulte is calling on the region to deepen its collaboration in the cruise industry. 

Boschulte, who was speaking at the recent Seatrade Cruise Global conference in Miami, said it was essential for Caribbean destinations to work together to ensure the safe and successful return of cruises to the region. 

 “One destination does not make an itinerary,” Boschulte said. “There has to be a collaborative effort amongst us in the Caribbean on health protocols because if a destination does not have effective protocols in place, that impacts not only the ship but also the next destination as well.”

While the US Virgin Islands has been one of the Caribbean’s best-performing stay-over destinations amid the pandemic, its cruise industry, like the rest of the Caribbean, continues to work to recover. 

“What we have on the books for this year is obviously better than when we were at zero, but next year we expect to have significantly more calls,” Boschulte said. 

— CJ