Air traffic and tourism numbers for the two biggest islands in the US Virgin Islands continue to show strong growth, according to new data.
St Thomas is anticipating 25 percent year-over-year growth for the 2023-2024 winter season, as compared to the winter of 2019-20, before the onset of the pandemic.
For the year to date, the Continental US-St Thomas route is showing a 20 percent year-over-year increase compared to 2019.
In St Croix, projections are similarly strong, with projections for 70 percent year-over-year growth compared to the winter of 2019-2020.
Through September, St Croix is seeing a 25 percent improvement over the winter of 2019, a strong sign for a destination the USVI has been working to position with its own discrete travel identity, “A Vibe Like No Other.”
While the island of St John has no airport, all signs point to a continued tourism surge to the island in recent years.
US Virgin Islands tourism officials released the data during the recent Routes World 2023 aviation conference in Istanbul, where a delegation led by USVI Tourism Commissioner Joseph Boschulte held talks with major carriers including American, Delta, Southwest, Spirit Airways, JetBlue, and Air Canada.
The numbers line up with what has been a sizzling tourism industry for the USVI since its skillfully-managed tourism reopening in 2020.
“Our participation at Routes World 2023 was a tremendous success,” Boschulte said. “We were delighted to engage with top airline executives and share our data-driven market analysis. This information showcased our destination’s immense potential and demonstrated our commitment to fostering mutually beneficial partnerships.”