Breaking

9-Year-Old Boy Dies After Being Shot in Head in Croixville Housing Community; Police Detain 15-Year-Old

Concerned Residents Clean Christiansted Town Using Their Own Tools, Money, and Some Help from the VI Fire Service

Territory May See Veterans Cemetery Through DeGazon-Sponsored Bill

Credit and Debit Cards of WAPA Customers Were Compromised Since August 30th, WAPA Says, Authority to Finally Start Issuing Notification Via Mail and Email

Sports Tourism in VI Gains Momentum as DC United Team is set to Play Exhibition Soccer Game on St. Croix

Carnival Breeze Brings 3,700 Tourists to St. Croix During Maiden Call; Senators, Tourism Officials Want to See More

Limetree Bay Willing To Provide $10 Million To Help Add Life to a Dying G.E.R.S.

American Airlines to Serve St. Croix With New Flights Next Summer

The Sudden Death of Influential Roots Reggae Visionary, Vaughn Benjamin of Midnite Band and Akae Beka, Has Rocked the Virgin Islands and Reggae Community Around the World

Arthur A. Richards K-8 School Hosts Anti-Bullying Campaign

Come Out. Hang Out. Have Fun at The Meat Up, One of St. Thomas’ Latest Hot-Spot for Good Food with Friends and Family.

UVI Board of Trustees Approves $47.1 Million Fiscal Year 2020 Budget; Sets $3 Million Fundraising Goal

Man Dies During Early Morning Car Accident on St. Croix; Driver of Car Arrested (Updated)

'You Did Everything You Could to Prevent this from Happening': An Emotional Goodbye to Young Aaron Benjamin

Back in Business: Cost U Less on St. Thomas Opened its Doors Friday to Thousands of Customers 2 Years after Irma and Maria

Bill Aimed at Regulating Credit Use by Gov't Departments and Agencies Among Others Held in Committee

Juan Luis Hospital Announces Completion and Availability of Mobile Dialysis Facilities

Tractor Trailer With Tank Carrying Thousands Of Gallons of Liquified Gas Flips Near Cool Out Bar; Driver Injured But Alive

Credit and Debit Card Hack Through WAPA Appears to be Widespread in Virgin Islands; WAPA Says Support Services Will be Made Available to Affected Customers

Facing Life in Prison Without Parole, Mother and Boyfriend Plead Not Guilty in Murder of 4-Year-Old Boy

Results Of Disney Assessment Of St. Croix Being Held Private To Protect Strategies, Mapp Says

Caribbean / Featured / News / Top Stories / Tourism / Virgin Islands / April 8, 2016

ST. CROIX — An assessment of St. Croix by the Disney Corporation to help turn the island into a “destination experience,” which was offered to the Government of the Virgin Islands free of charge after lobbying by Governor Kenneth Mapp, has been fully conducted and a presentation was recently made to senior Mapp administration and Dept. of Tourism officials at Government House in St. Thomas.

That’s according to the governor himself, who told The Consortium on Tuesday that Disney has offered to further help the government shape St. Croix into a more appealing tourist attraction, and to help make sure that no monies that could be earned are left on the table.

But the assessment, Mr. Mapp said, is being held private because releasing it would reveal to competing Caribbean islands all that needs to be done to better the tourist experience here. And because it was paid for in full by Disney, the assessment cannot be force-released under the Sunshine Act.

“We’re not releasing any of that report because it has essential, competitive advantage strategies particularly for St. Croix, and if we release the report everyone else in the Caribbean will be able to see some of the things that we need to undertake,” Mr. Mapp said. The governor described the report as a “working instrument” for the G.V.I. in terms of how it moves to position St. Croix in particular as a destination for visitors, as well as the visitor experience in the entire territory.”

Mr. Mapp said the report also opened opportunities for Disney to further assist the V.I., placing the islands in an advantageous position with one of the most formidable companies in tourism and hospitality. Part of the reason for this, Mr. Mapp said, is because Disney’s CEO Karl Holtz has fanily ties to St. Croix dating back to the Fairleigh Dickinson University, which was opened in 1969 and shuttered in 1990, according to The New York Times.

“As a result of that connection, he offered this assistance to us, they made a presentation to us, and that presentation even brought the Disney Corporation to make additional offerings to the territory to assist in dealing with the shortcomings, building on the strengths, and really helping the business community particular on St. Croix, and I’ll use their terms, “not leaving dollars on the table,” meaning that there are passengers coming to St. Croix and just because of the way we are aligning ourselves, and the things we are not doing, passengers are taking money right back on the boat and spending it somewhere else.” The governor said his administration is forming a Governor’s Visitors Experience task force with the private and public sector that aims to capitalize on the findings.

The assessment serves as vindication to the governor after many doubted that any aid would be offered by Disney after he made the announcement mid-March 2015 during the St. Croix Chamber of Commerce Annual Meeting. Mr. Mapp said he had been in conversations with cruise industry officials, and in a meeting with Mr. Holtz, he asked whether Disney had any plans for St. Croix.

In response, Mr. Holtz, Mr. Mapp said, “talked about the issues of the duplication of visits. [He said Disney has] tried St. Croix and there are some issues, in terms of it getting ready and being a fully fledged cruise ship destination.”

However, Mr. Mapp said he asked Mr. Holtz to consider including St. Croix on his cruise line’s itinerary.

“I said, ‘I need help [and] I’m willing to help you [with] the cruise industry, and cruise traffic in the Virgin Islands is essential to our economy, and I’m going to support that, but I need help for where I come from’,” the governor explained.

It was after his candid request that Mr. Mapp said Mr. Holtz “extended to the people of the Virgin Islands, and to you, the full portfolio of Disney’s technical support system.”


Tags: , ,



Ernice Gilbert
I wear many hats, I suppose, but the one which fits me best would be journalism, second to that would be radio personality, thirdly singer/songwriter and down the line. I've been the Editor-In-Chief at my videogames website, Gamesthirst, for over 5 years, writing over 7,000 articles and more than 2 million words. I'm also very passionate about where I live, the United States Virgin Islands, and I'm intent on making it a better place by being resourceful and keeping our leaders honest. VI Consortium was birthed out of said desire, hopefully my efforts bear fruit. Reach me at [email protected].




Previous Post

WICO Welcomes Luxury Ship MS Riviera To St. Thomas With Plaque Ceremony

Next Post

A.F.T. Chides Mapp Administration; Says Teachers Won't Forego Retro Pay





You might also like

Leave a Reply


More Story

WICO Welcomes Luxury Ship MS Riviera To St. Thomas With Plaque Ceremony

ST. THOMAS -- The West Indian Company, Ltd. welcomed the passengers and crew of the MS Riviera on Wednesday, April 6, with...

April 7, 2016