Business View Caribbean - Sept. / Oct. 2014

78 %XVLQHVV 9LHZ ‡ &DULEEHDQ ² 6HSWHPEHU ‡ 2FWREHU 86 9LUJLQ ,VODQGV is that they certainly have done Hawaii, they’ve done their own state and they’re looking for another U.S. place that they could visit, so that certainly plays into it. Also, I think it’s a good fit. I think we find that people from California, they generally are looking for that beach experience. They’re a little slower-paced than our northeastern clientele and the island time certainly works in our favor. BV: How much of an advantage is the passport factor? NICHOLSON-DOTY: It’s huge. It is huge. When you think about the fact they say that less than 30 percent of Americans currently have passports, and you think about a family of four, if you want expedited service you’re talking about an excess of $100 dollars per person to get as passport. So it could easily add to $400 or $500 to your vacation for a family of four. So I think that certainly has an impact on the territory. Equally as important is that we have extremely good lift from the U.S. from major gateways – New York, Massachusetts, Philadelphia, Charlotte and several flights a day out of Florida into the territory – so I think that also access is a significant component as well. And for most places it’s less than four hours, anyplace in the northeast, and from Florida it’s less than three hours. So I think that those are all significant reasons why we’re popular too. BV: What kind of experience are they getting? Is it a casual vibe? You mention Californians are attracted because it’s laid-back. Is that what people are looking at when they come out there? NICHOLSON-DOTY: I think you’re going to find a more relaxed atmosphere. I think that there are some very strong cultural differences that one would maybe find surprising. If you’re from New York, the fact that everyone says good morning or good afternoon, in general, whether they know you or not, may be unusual. It definitely depends. I would ask one, and we often ask someone, what is it that you are interested in? Because we really find that we have something that can match just about any experience that one is looking for. If someone is really into culture, history, heritage or tourism, I would strongly encourage them to visit St. Croix. We have more standing sugar mills on St. Croix than anyplace in the Caribbean. We call them our pyramids of the Caribbean, because they sprinkle over the architecture of the entire island and they are reminiscent of our plantation past. They tell a story of a time of St. Croix being the breadbasket from an agricultural standpoint of the region, and also a major sugar producer. And to this day we have two major rum distilleries on St. Croix – Cruzan rum, which has been in existence for more than 200 years; and Diageo/ Captain Morgan started distilling rum in the Virgin Islands three years ago. So I would encourage someone to go to St. Croix if they’re really more of a history buff. They’ll want a very authentic experience, to visit the eco farm, to go kayaking in the luminescent area of St. Croix on the north shore. It depends on what you’re looking for. If you’re a diver you definitely want to go to St. Croix because it’s the only place that you can dive a shore, a wall, a pier, a wreck and a night dive all in the same day. If someone is looking for more activity, I would certainly suggest St. 86 9LUJLQ ,VODQGV 6HSWHPEHU ‡ 2FWREHU ² &DULEEHDQ ‡ %XVLQHVV 9LHZ Thomas. It has a total different vibe, definitely more cosmopolitan. We welcome almost 2 million visitors here annually to St. Thomas, so you’re certainly going to get a different vibe. You have a lot of your brand hotels on St. Thomas. Very eclectic dining experiences. It can go from local cuisine to nouvelle to fusion, so I think that definitely, if you’re looking for more of an active vacation, St. Thomas may be a better choice. If you’re very much into nature, I would suggest St. John or Water Island. On St. John, Lawrence Rockefeller donated two thirds of the island to the National Parks Service, so two-thirds of the island will forever remain undeveloped. So it all depends on what you’re looking for. I think that we have a niche for everything from a bed and breakfast all the way to the Ritz Carlton or the Buccaneer. I think that one of the unique things about having a four-island destination is that we have many different offerings. BV: When people come, do they hop from one to the other, or just stay on the one they’ve researched as a fit? NICHOLSON-DOTY: I think that just because St. Croix is 40 miles south of St. Thomas, if people go to St. Croix they generally stay there. They tend to have a longer vacation in the number of days that they vacation. Almost all of the visitors that come to St. Thomas will go to St. John for a day trip, and since St. John has no airport you have to come through St. Thomas to go to St. John. I think that generally