To help position St. Croix as a "go-to" Caribbean destination, the U.S. Virgin Islands' Department of Tourism revealed a brand marketing campaign dubbed "St Croix: a vibe like no other" at the recent Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association Marketplace in Nassau.
"We believe that St. Croix is going to be the big new attraction for tourism in the Caribbean, due to its people, cuisine, history and culture, coupled with its laid-back vibe," said Joseph Boschulte, commissioner of tourism for the U.S.V.I.
The marketing campaign features several personalities from the St. Croix community, including local chef Lamar Bough.
"Through chefs, mixologists, musicians, tour guides, artisans and other professionals we will explore the Crucian vibe," Boschulte said, using a term that refers to the people of St. Croix.
He reported that on the heels of a successful 2019/2020 Crucian Christmas festival, St. Croix is poised for a strong tourism performance this year.
Visitor arrivals by air jumped 7.9% last year, cruise numbers topped 1.4 million passengers and hotel reopenings coming back online later this year, including the Divi Carina Bay Resort & Casino, which should further boost tourism numbers, according to Boschulte.
"With the Renaissance St. Croix Carambola Beach Resort & Spa undergoing a major refurbishment, the continued growth of the sharing economy and the oil refinery preparing to deliver fuel supplies this year, St. Croix will be a preferred destination on the radars of leisure and business travelers," he said.