USVIHTA and members celebrated Thanksgiving with the Boys & Girls Club of St. Thomas during their annual luncheon on Nov. 23 and with a generous turkey donation from Frenchman’s Reef on Nov. 19. In addition to the turkey donation, Frenchman’s Reef and other HTA members donated food and drinks for the B&GC annual holiday luncheon held at the Oswald Harris Court center. About 80 children and their families enjoyed a delicious meal thanks to Bolongo Bay Beach Resort (barbeque chicken), Emerald Beach Resort (macaroni and cheese), The Ritz-Carlton, St. Thomas (barbeque tofu), The Westin St. John (cookies), French Quarter Bistro (island stuffing), Bellows (three cases of water), Frenchman’s Reef (turkey) and USVIHTA (ham). Click here to read the full press release.

Blue Flags were raised at three beaches throughout the territory on Dec. 1, marking the beginning of the Blue Flag season. Beaches that received certification include: on St. Thomas - Emerald Beach Resort at Lindbergh Bay and The Ritz-Carlton, St. Thomas beach at Great Bay; and on St. Croix - Tamarind Reef Resort at Green Cay Beach. The Blue Flag certification is based on compliance with 32 criteria including environmental education and information, water quality, environmental management, and safety and services. The program serves to encourage authorities and managers to provide beaches and marinas with a certain level of environmental quality, cleanliness and safety standards for local populations and tourists. Click here to read our press release from last month regarding the certification awards, and email blueflagusvi@gmail.com for more information.

“I think there’s a lot of money that has been sidelined over the past 20 months that’s ready to go to work. They’re trying to find investment areas to go and we’re hopeful that the U.S. Virgin Islands is well positioned to be able to benefit from that,” said Boschulte, who along with his team joined Caribbean and international tourism executives, developers and investors, operators, bankers and other lenders to discuss the region’s markets and possibilities, and analyze trends that can impact investment decisions. Read more.

Building on the success of the virtual version of Caribbean Travel Marketplace (CTM) held earlier this year, the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association, organizers of the Caribbean’s largest marketing event, have announced that the 40th edition of Marketplace will return to an in-person format in Spring 2022. Next year will mark 40 years of Marketplace, the Caribbean’s leading event that brings together buyers and sellers of the region’s tourism products, goods and services. It is also CHTA’s 60th anniversary. Speaking at CHTA’s recent Annual General Meeting, CTM Chairman Karen Whitt stated that a spring date (late April or early May 2022) is being considered for the event, which will be hosted by an as-yet-unnamed destination in the Caribbean. Read more.

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For more information, contact Omar Andres Haedo directly at omar.a.haedo@elan.insure.