Opposition Leader Hon. Ronnie Skelton challenged the government’s celebration of record tourism numbers, arguing that the territory’s high proportion of cruise ship visitors overshadows more economically significant overnight stays.
The criticism comes as the Virgin Islands marks a milestone of 1,092,139 tourist arrivals in 2024, a 9.8% increase from 2023. While cruise visitors accounted for 768,293 of the total, overnight visitors numbered just 305,876.
Skelton spoke during a press conference held concurrent with the government’s inaugural Tourism Summit, an event he claimed the opposition was largely excluded from attending.
Skelton criticized the summit’s organization, noting that some opposition members received last-minute invitations just one day before the event, while others weren’t invited at all.
Eighth District Representative Marlon Penn raised additional concerns about the territory’s readiness for increased tourism, citing neglected infrastructure maintenance.
He noted that matters such as the condition of roads and overgrown bush are tempering his celebration of the arrival numbers.
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