US Virgin Islands gearing up as hub for marine industry

Published on : Wednesday, May 19, 2021

In preparation for the return of cruise ships to the island, the US Virgin Islands is gearing up as a hub for the marine industry.

Alani Henneman-Todman, Assistant Commissioner, Department of Tourism, USVI, said that outside of airlift, the marine sector is pivotal for their recovery.

Henneman-Todman said, “The marine industry pre-COVID was losing its lustre, the competition was steady, the territory in itself wasn’t positioned as a key marquis destination as in the past. Because we remained open it gave our charter companies a chance to revisit the Virgin Islands and reconnect.”

She said that they worked with marine industry partners to directly market the destination for preserving the traffic that they witnessed during the pandemic.

Henneman-Todman said that unlike other destinations in the region, that have such great travel protocols ready along with travel portals, they were able to stay open to marine traffic in spite of the pandemic.

She revealed that The Moorings, which is the world’s leading yacht charter company, is working with the USVI for the 2021 charter season.

Henneman-Todman said that they are now placing 100 anchor moorings around the destination so that they could be a one-stop sailing and chartering destination. That number will be increased to 150 with the growth of the sector. The facilities will serve charter boats, superyachts and private recreational cruising yachts.