Premier of the Virgin Islands Honourable Dr. Natalio Wheatley announces that Virgin Islands tourism sector has demonstrated unprecedented growth in the first half of 2024, marking a historic milestone in visitor arrivals.

 According to the Central Statistics Office, compared to the same period in 2023, tourist arrivals surged by a remarkable 17.2%, totalling 682,773 visitors as opposed to 582,674. This exceptional performance can be attributed to substantial increases across all categories of tourists. Cruise ship passengers saw a notable rise of 16.2%, overnight visitors increased by 19.3%, and day trippers rose by an impressive 37.2%. In the first quarter of 2024, total tourist arrivals soared by an impressive 30.3%, reaching 497,556 compared to 381,866 in 2023.

This increase was fuelled by a 31.6% increase in cruise ship passengers, a 25.2% rise in overnight visitors, and a significant 34.8% increase in day trippers. Despite a historical dominance of cruise ship passengers in total arrivals, there has been a notable shift towards greater balance among visitor types in 2024. Overnight visitors demonstrated a resilient 13.0% increase, while day trippers continued their robust growth with a 39.4% rise. This shift underscores a more balanced distribution among day trippers, overnighters, and cruise passengers in the overall visitor composition.

According to Honourable Dr. Wheatley, the Virgin Islands tourism sector's outstanding performance in the first half of 2024 sets a new benchmark for growth and resilience. Premier Wheatley said, "We are delighted to see such a historic performance in our tourism sector during the first half of 2024. These figures underscore the Virgin

Islands' enduring appeal, and highlight our commitment to providing exceptional experiences for visitors from around the globe."

 He added, “As we continue to navigate through a dynamic global tourism landscape, these results highlight the Virgin Islands' growing appeal and ability to attract diverse segments of travellers. We look forward to building on this momentum and welcoming even more visitors to our beautiful islands.”

The Government of the Virgin Islands continues to invest in sustainable tourism practices and infrastructure enhancements to support the growing number of visitors while preserving the natural beauty and cultural heritage of the islands.