UKhomishana Womnyango Wezokuvakasha e-USVI, uJoseph Boschulte, uthathe ikhava yomagazini kaNovemba/Disemba 2022 we-Black Meetings & Tourism Magazine kanye nesici esingamakhasi amabili esichaza ubuholi bakhe obuzulazula ngendlela ephumelelayo nenenzuzo ngokusebenzisa amatshe e-Covid.
Ngemuva kwezikhundla eziningi zobuholi obuyimpumelelo ebhizinisini, kuhulumeni, nasemfundweni ephakeme, uKhomishana u-Boschulte wajoyina i-USVI ngo-2018 ngenkathi i-Territory ibuya eSigabeni sesi-5 seziphepho u-Irma kanye no-Maria esidale umonakalo ngemimoya yayo engamamayela angu-185. Akazange abe naso isikhathi sokumanzisa izinyawo zakhe lapho ubhubhane luhlasela ekuqaleni kuka-2020.
Umthelela omubi we-Covid emhlabeni jikelele ubudinga ukucabanga okusheshayo nokuzulazula. UBoschulte waphawula esihlokweni, “Saqaphela ukuthi okwakukade kungumshayeli esikhathini esidlule kwakungeke kusaba khona. Sahlala izinyanga ezingu-18 ngaphandle komkhumbi owodwa.” Lokhu bekusho lukhulu njengoba imali yezokuvakasha yeTerritory ibincike kakhulu ekuhambeni ngomkhumbi. Ngemikhumbi emithathu kuya kwemine evakashelayo ngosuku, i-USVI ingenye yezindawo ezinkulu zokuhamba ngomkhumbi eCaribbean. Ngaphambi kwalolu bhubhane, ukuhamba ngomkhumbi kwafaka imali engaphezu kwezigidi ezingama- $ 300 emnothweni wasekhaya futhi kwaba cishe amaphesenti angama-70 ebhizinisi lezokuvakasha.
Indatshana ichaza ukuthi uBoschulte waliqala kanjani ngokushesha isu elisha lokuphendula lo bhubhane futhi wagxila ekuthuthukiseni ukuhamba ngendiza nokuhlala ubusuku bonke. Uthe, “Ukubuya kwethu ngesikhathi sodlame kube yimpumelelo ngenxa yokusuka kwethu ekuhambeni ngomkhumbi saya ebudlelwaneni bamahhotela nezindiza. Ngokungafani nezinye iziqhingi zaseCaribbean, izikhumulo zezindiza e-USVI azikaze zivalwe. ” Ngaphezu kwalokho, basebenzise ingosi yokuhlola uhambo ku-inthanethi futhi basebenzisana eduze nabo bonke ozakwethu bendawo, okuhlanganisa izindawo zokudlela, amahhotela, izinkampani zokuvakasha, namanye amabhizinisi ahlobene nezokuvakasha. I-athikili ikhomba ukuthi u-Boschulte uhlale esendleleni elwela indawo yakhe, ukuxhumana nokuxhumana, nokudayisa i-USVI kubavakashi abangaba khona. Uhamba ibanga elide ukuze akholise izivakashi ukuthi zihambe izinkulungwane zamakhilomitha ukuze zivakashele i-USVI.
Kuze kube manje, isu lakhe elisha libonakala lisebenza. Okungenani izindawo ezimbili zokungcebeleka ezakhiwe kabusha ezizovulwa e-USVI, futhi izinombolo zezokuvakasha zikhuphuke ngo-44%. Amabhilidi amabili aphinde avulwa e-St. Thomas, eyokuqala eminyakeni engu-30 kulesi siqhingi yilezi: I-Westin Beach Resort and Spa e-Frenchman’s Reef; kanye ne-The Seaborn at Frenchman’s Reef, i-Autograph Collection, kulandela ukutshalwa kwezimali okungaphezu kwezigidi ezingama-$425 kule ndawo. I-USVI ilungiselela unyaka oyimpumelelo kakhulu ka-2023. Kakade Indawo eneziqhingi ezintathu isibike izinga eliphezulu lokuhlala kwamahhotela e-Caribbean ngo-72.5% kusukela ngoJuni 2021 kuya kuMeyi 2022 kanye nemali engenayo ehambisanayo. Lelisu liphinde lathuthukiswa umkhankaso omusha wokwenza uphawu, “Naturally in Rhythm,” osekela ukululama kwehhotela futhi uklanyelwe ukukhuthaza izivakashi ukuthi zibe nesigqi ngokwemvelo ngamasiko ahlukahlukene, izimanga zemvelo, namahhotela amahle nezindawo zokungcebeleka zase-St. Thomas, St. Croix, kanye no-St.
