USVI senator wants five million dollars for tourism promotion

 

Wednesday, May 19, 2010/

www.caribbeannetnews.com

 
ST THOMAS, USVI -- US Virgin Islands Senator Wayne James, in Amendment No. 28-763a, which altered the May 4, 2010, $250 million dollar “Borrowing Bill,” has negotiated for up to $5 million dollars to be used by the Department of Tourism to promote the Virgin Islands during the summer months, traditionally the territory’s off-season.

“I am in full support of the borrowing,” James said. “Laying off government workers and reducing government services in these trying times would be most unwise, resulting in a downward spiral of the entire Virgin Islands community, which is so heavily reliant upon the purchase power of the over 8,000 people currently employed by the Virgin Islands Government. But just as it was wise to borrow, it is also wise to utilize some of the borrowed funds to support areas of the government which can generate new and additional revenue.
 

“The Tourism Department has consistently generated significant returns on our comparatively modest advertising dollars. It only makes sense, then, for us to earmark some of the borrowing dollars for tourism promotions.

“We need new, fresh dollars coming into the territory in these trying times. And our hotel guests and cruise ship passengers--especially in the fall/winter months from October to March--bring those dollars in their pockets each day. Those dollars circulate in our private sector, which then supports the government through gross receipt, excise, and other taxes. The five million dollars for summer marketing will enable our Tourism Department to keep visitors coming to our shores even during the summer.

“We need to promote the little-known (and therefore often-overlooked) fact that the Virgin Islands, because of our God-given trade winds, are actually (and surprisingly) more comfortable in the summer months than are Washington, DC or New York City, for example,” James said.

“And we need to promote our destination to the wealthy South American markets like Brazil and Colombia, which experience their winters during our summers. The entire world economy is suffering, but there is still money in circulation,” James said.

“We need to go after it more aggressively than ever before. And with funding for summer promotions, we can keep our economy healthy all year round as opposed to just during the winter months. And it is with such increased revenue streams that we will be able to decrease the territory‘s debt,” James concluded.