Good day members,

Thank you for submitting questions for our Q&A call today. The Board of Directors for the STT-STJ HTA and STX HTA met with Gov. Albert Bryan, Department of Tourism Commissioner Joseph Boschulte, Department of Health Commissioner Justa Encarnacion and Department of Health Territorial Epidemiologist Dr. Esther Ellis to discuss the reopening of the hospitality sector. We had a very productive meeting with Bryan and his team as they addressed several questions posed by membership. Bryan confirmed the GVI has been working with hotels in both districts to exclusively house COVID-19 positive arrivals from our airports and seaports, providing a place for them to self-quarantine for 14 days. The DOH will monitor all quarantined patients with daily check-in calls until they are clear.

There is concern about liability should a customer think they contracted the virus from an establishment they visited. The governor recommends waivers as they check-in or enter said businesses. The HTA has researched some best practice waivers and is vetting them through legal now.

We were able to clarify that hotels that are open can offer “staycations” to Virgin Islands residents prior to June 1. Check-ins must show proof of residency (V.I. driver’s license), and all businesses must adhere to the social distancing protocols outlined in the governor’s 6th Supplemental Executive Order . Activities and attractions and the marine sector were also given approval to offer services to V.I. residents; however, we are clarifying those parameters with the governor’s legal team to ensure we are compliant with the intention of the executive order. We will share that information once we have more details.  

Boschulte stated there is high demand for the Virgin Islands as we are perceived as a “safe haven” given our climate and low infection rate. Major airline carriers have begun to return on a limited basis to the territory starting the past weekend. The airlines seem confident the demand for travel to the USVI will be there once the hotels and accommodation sector open for tourists on June 1. 

The HTA will work with the DOH to bulk purchase PPE’s through GVI vendors. We will also be offering webinars and presentations through the DOH, DLCA and OSHA as we continue to navigate these unprecedented times. Thank you once again for your valuable input, and continue to check back for more information.