With Special Focus On St. Croix, Mapp Talks Up Territory’s Tourism Offerings At Cruise Line Industry Event In Florida

ST. THOMAS — With its vision trained to increase the number of cruise line visits to the territory, and with a special focus on St. Croix, the Government of the Virgin Islands, lead by its chief executive Governor Kenneth Mapp, has been promoting the islands in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, at the annual Seatrade Cruise Global 2016, as a top destination with a myriad of fun activities to enjoy and historic landscape to explore, according to a press release Government House issued late Tuesday.

Department of Tourisim (D.O.T.) Commissioner Beverly Nicholson-Doty on Tuesday announced to journalists at the important event Mr. Mapp’s focus. And in pre-convention meetings, the governor addressed cruise executives attending a D.O.T.-sponsored reception in the Miami area and later met with Miami Herald Caribbean Reporter Jacqueline Charles, to provide an update on the territory’s infrastructural plans, as well its commitment to sustainable tourism development and local agriculture.

Mr. Mapp also updated journalist Monty Mathisen, managing editor of Cruise Industry News, on cruise-related developments in the territory.

According to the release, the Virgin Islands delegation attended Tuesday’s Seatrade opening where they were briefed on the state of the industry by key executives, research analysts, and cruise leaders on innovative and transformative approaches to trends in the cruise industry. Topics covered included the opening of Cuba, which experts believe will elevate the profile of the Caribbean in general and other developments.

During the course of the week, Mr. Mapp and Mrs. Nicholson-Doty will have bilateral talks with cruise executives and representatives from various media outlets, including Bloomberg Businessweek, as well as the popular Caribbean-American radio host Pat Montague, according to the release.

“The cruise sector remains an incredibly important economic driver for the territory, and we remain committed to strengthening dialog with our partners to ensure there are more cruise calls and greater benefits to the people of the Virgin Islands,” Mrs. Nicholson-Doty said.

Feature Image: D.O.T. Commissioner Beverly Nicholson-Doty and Governor Kenneth Mapp with Jacqueline Charles, a Miami Herald reporter at the paper’s office in Doral, Florida.

Image Credit: D.O.T.