Travelling to the U.S. Virgin Islands?

Divisions

Administration and Management

The Administration and Management Unit is responsible for ensuring that the department operates in accordance with local and federal rules and regulations.

The Administration and Management Unit is responsible for ensuring that the department operates in accordance with local and federal rules and regulations.

This Unit provides daily oversight and management of the entire financial operations of the agency. It administers the department’s annual appropriations and ensures that the disbursals of funds are in accordance with the Virgin Islands Code as it pertains to the acquisition and purchase of goods and services.

This Unit provides support to all divisions and works in tandem with other governmental institutions and private sector organizations to accomplish the department’s mandates. It is charged with providing financial data in response to legislative hearings, public inquiries and at mandated conferences. Periodically, the Administration and Management Unit conduct audits of the financial operations of the department to include its offices operating outside of the Territory. Additionally, the Administration and Management Unit is responsible for overseeing the Department’s human resources functions, such as compensation, hiring, performance management, organizational development, safety, wellness, benefits, employee motivation, communication, training, and collective bargaining.

Marketing

Tourism revenues provide significant economic benefits for the U.S. Virgin Islands economy. As such, the Department of Tourism is focused on enhancing local economic development by marketing our islands as a tourist destination both domestically and internationally in hopes of generating revenue and jobs. Our marketing strategy enables us to increase revenue to the territory by focusing our efforts on areas with the highest potential for return on investment.

In so doing the Marketing Division utilizes all available resources to promote the U.S. Virgin Islands as a premier travel destination. It incorporates the functions and services of the following interrelated program areas: Advertising-which engages potential visitors utilizing a multimedia strategy in print, television, with a focus on digital opportunities: Public Relations-which entails a proactive outreach to the media and members of the travel trade industry throughout the United States and international markets including, Canada, Scandinavia, Italy, the Caribbean and South America: Sales and Product Development- which directly promotes to both the consumer and the travel trade audiences the diverse activities, economic opportunities and cultural experiences offered in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Film Promotion

The Office of Film Promotion is an intricate part of the destination’s tourism mix, contributing millions to the local economy. The division markets and advertise the United States Virgin Islands as a location for the production of audio-visual commodities to include feature films, television programs, commercials, still shoots, and music videos using the Territory as a backdrop. Overall, the film marketing strategy is designed to spur on-island spend that benefits the local economy, as well as projects that favorably depict the destination to potential visitors.

With the passing of the S.T.A.R.S. Act, the Department anticipates increased activity that will generate significant exposure for the islands, provide a consistent livelihood for the industry support services and develop new career opportunities for the U.S. Virgin Islands youth.

Tourism Administration

The Tourism Administration Unit manages the daily operations of the Department. It’s responsible for planning, implementing, supervising and coordinating all internal and external activities for the organization. It has an inherent obligation to build productive, beneficial and collaborative relationships with government agencies, the private sector, and other organizations for the economic good of the Territory. In forging these strategic partnerships along with maintaining our community outreach programs the department works to discriminatingly expose our rich history, cultural traditions, and genuine hospitality, which are essential and vital to the overall promotions of the U.S. Virgin Islands as a premier tourism destination.

Convention and Visitors’ Bureau - STT/STJ/STX

The Convention and Visitors’ Bureau focuses on improving the quality of experience for visitors in a coordinated manner. It is primarily responsible for travel and tourism product awareness to visitors.

For example, members of the unit provide information about on-island direct support services, and activities to current and prospective visitors through the disbursement of informational brochures, maps, pamphlets, and other promotional materials. Additionally, the division ensures that visitors are thoroughly welcomed to our shores by exposure to varying cultural entertainment, local treats, and activities. To provide a comprehensive service, the Bureau’s visitor’s center provides information and advice about commercial products relating to accommodation, transportation, and leisure. The unit works collectively with other divisions and agencies to assist in resolving complaints, coordinating and orchestrating tours and other hospitality functions. They also assist in crisis situations, participate in inaugural activities for maiden voyages or new airline route to the Territory and the collecting of valuable statistical information which aid in improving the Department’s Marketing strategy.

Additionally, the Bureau prepares the bi-annual cruise ship schedules and handle a substantial volume of on-island requests, responding to a wide variety of queries and requests for information relating to the Virgin Islands.

Offshore Activities​

The Offshore Activities unit promotes the United States Virgin Islands as a year-round upscale destination by engaging in promotional activities designed to influence travel agents, wholesalers, tour operators, group and incentive planners, airlines, consumers and other travel related entities on the U.S. mainland.