We have an exciting new opportunity for members to receive immediate updates from the USVI Hotel & Tourism Association via text alerts. All you have to do is text USVIHTA to 55678 to stay informed and receive information immediately. We do have a maximum number of texts we can send each month, so please be sure that those signing up to receive text alerts are members of your staff who can disseminate information to the rest of your team. Thank you to Save On Islands for assisting USVIHTA with this valuable new tool to immediately communicate important information with our members. If you’re interested in setting up this useful tool for your business, please visit mobilesolutions.saveonislandssavings.com for more information.
We'd also like to remind members who have not yet applied for a curfew pass with VITEMA to do that as soon as possible. Curfew passes will only be issued through the end of August. Click here to download the application.
Gov. Bryan Orders Return to “Stay at Home” Status in Response to Continuing Spread of COVID-19
In an effort to stop the spread of COVID-19 in the U.S. Virgin Islands, Gov. Albert Bryan Jr. has ordered the territory to return to “Stay at Home” status, or the orange level, which means the closure of non-essential businesses, restaurants limited to take-out, delivery or drive-through service and prohibiting hotels, villas, Airbnbs, temporary vacation housing and charter vessels and similar businesses from accepting leisure travel reservations. The prohibition of new leisure travel reservations is effective immediately, and on Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2020, those businesses are prohibited from admitting any new check-ins or registering any new guests for 30 days unless the order is lifted sooner. The new restriction does not apply to business travelers, emergency personnel, flight crews or government guests with written authorization from the government agency they are visiting. Read the full press release here. Click here for the 13th Supplemental Executive Order.
COVID-19 Update
Please click the links below to read our recent updates. Keep in mind that statistics are changing daily as we learn more, so some of the information from our updates may have changed. You can also visit doh.vi.gov/covid19usvi for more information. To receive updates, alerts and notifications on COVID-19 in the USVI, TEXT “COVID19USVI” to 888777. If you suspect you have symptoms or if you have questions, please call the Health Department’s Epidemiology Division Hotline: 340-712-6299 (STX) and 340-776-1519 (STT & STJ).
Gov. Bryan Proposes Legislation Creating New Revenue, Calls 33rd Legislature Into Special Session to Take Action
Gov. Albert Bryan Jr. on Tuesday announced another positive change in the territory’s financial future. The governor has proposed legislation that will create a significant revenue stream for the U.S. Virgin Islands and reduce overall interest rates on the territory’s current debt. He is urging the 33rd Legislature to act expeditiously to approve the measure. The Matching Fund Securitization Act, which marks the USVI’s re-entry into the bond market for the first time in 11 years, can potentially create a revenue stream of $85 million for each of the next three years by reducing the territory’s annual debt service payment. The act would significantly increase cash flow and create a vehicle for the government’s future bonding needs, according to the governor.Read more.
On behalf of the Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association, we thank our industry leaders who participated as panelists for CHTA Live: The Resilience Series. Our appreciation as well, to the co-facilitators of the Caribbean Tourism Health Safety Training Series - CHTA, CARPHA, CTO, and Ecolab for their collaboration and insights. We commend all those individuals that joined these sessions! Stay tuned for the announcement of upcoming CHTA Live webinars, and the next Caribbean Tourism Health Safety Training Series to support the regional guidelines and checklists developed to assist your reopening and ongoing operational plans and implementation of health safety standards. In the meantime, we invite you to watch and share the informative and detailed webinar recordings. Read more.
