For Immediate Release

Source: United States Virgin Islands Department of Tourism

Contacts: 

Bevan Springer, Marketplace Excellence + 1 201 861-2056

Alani Henneman-Todman, U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism + 1 340 642-9789

Flyers available here:  https://tinyurl.com/y9d78dgy 

STRENGTHENING THE U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS' TOURISM INDUSTRY WITH NEW EXPERTISE
 
U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS (May 3, 2018) - Three days of training for tourism industry professionals will help boost tourism to even greater heights in the United States Virgin Islands.
 
Offered by Aquila's Center for Cruise Excellence and supported by the U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism during National Travel & Tourism Week (May 6 to 12, 2018), "Customer Service & Frontline Training" sessions on Wednesday, May 9 and Thursday, May 10 will polish the skills of the "meeters and greeters" who are the face of tourism across the Territory.
 
Set to take place at the University of the Virgin Islands' St. Croix and St. Thomas campuses, the sessions will take customer service professionals, such as tour and taxi drivers and hospitality sales staff, through issues such as how to make a lasting impression on visitors and inspire them to return, handling challenging situations, and being mindful of cultural differences.
 
Sessions at St. Croix's Buccaneer Hotel and The West Indian Company's Administrative Building, St. Thomas on Tuesday, May 8 and Thursday, May 10 respectively, will cater to tourism industry stakeholders interested in delivering stronger shore excellence. This workshop, tailored for professionals including retail and shore excursion operators, will focus on how to help maintain the U.S. Virgin Islands, one of the most popular cruise stops in the Caribbean, as a port of excellence.
 
"We are committed to providing customer service training for our hardworking professionals in the tourism industry," said Commissioner of Tourism Beverly Nicholson-Doty. "We're in a global competition with other destinations, and today's discerning travelers make decisions based on many factors, including their expectations of friendly, helpful and attentive service. This training helps us excel."
 
For more information and to RSVP, contact [email protected] or call 340-201-6880 for the St. Croix sessions. Contact [email protected] or call 340-774-8784 for training on St. Thomas. Registration is on a first-come, first-served basis.
 
About the U.S. Virgin Islands
For more information about the United States Virgin Islands, go to VisitUSVI.com, follow us on Instagram ( @visitusvi) and become a fan on Facebook ( www.facebook.com/VisitUSVI). When traveling to the U.S. Virgin Islands, U.S. citizens enjoy all the conveniences of domestic travel - including on-line check-in - making travel to the U.S. Virgin Islands easier than ever. As a United States Territory, travel to the U.S. Virgin Islands does not require a passport from U.S. citizens arriving from Puerto Rico or the U.S. mainland. Entry requirements for non-U.S. citizens are the same as for entering the United States from any foreign destination. Upon departure, a passport is required for all but U.S. citizens.

ENDS