ST. THOMAS — As visitor arrivals continue to grow within the territory and the rest of the Caribbean, President of the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association to the U.S. Virgin Islands Hotel and Tourism Association, Karolin Troubetzkoy, calls for continued vigilance. At the annual General Members Meeting held on St Thomas on Friday, Ms. Troubetzkoy discussed successes, shortfalls, and long-term goals for the tourism industry within the territory. Ms. Troubetzkoy said despite seven continuous years of growth, the work to fulfilling tourism\u2019s true potential for the territory’s economy is just beginning.<\/p>\n
She said that the tourism product contributes $1 billion to the Virgin Islands economy, with an additional $1.2 billion in indirect benefits. She also noted that it supports about 8,000 jobs or about 20 percent of total wages and salaries. Ms. Troubetzkoy also said that despite a difficult year for the region, visitor arrivals in the USVI has seen an increase of 4.3 percent as compared to 2015.<\/p>\n
Despite this growth, however, Ms. Troubetzkoy says the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) forecasts a decrease in our shares in the global tourism product\u2014from 2.1 percent to 1.7 percent by 2030. \u201cAnd despite this regional growth in visitor arrivals, let us not forget that the majority of the hotel accommodation sector across the region did not report a successful 2016,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cDeveloping and fine-tuning every aspect of our customer service experience, enhancing our product itself\u2014whether we are talking about availability of real, authentic Caribbean cultural and culinary offers, locally made products, or renovated and enhanced hotel accommodations that have taken into account changing customer expectations\u2014will be essential to our survival and desirability in the future,\u201d Ms. Troubetzkoy added.<\/p>\n