USVIHTA Update | May 2021
Secret Harbour Beach Resort Wins Tripadvisor 2021 Travelers’ Choice Award for Top 10 Percent of Hotels in the World
Secret Harbour Beach Resort, a full-amenity condominium property for families and couples, announced today that it has been rated in the top 10 percent of hotels in the world. The St Thomas property was recognized as a 2021 Travelers’ Choice Award hotel by Tripadvisor, the world’s largest travel platform. Secret Harbour has won the Tripadvisor award of excellence for 11 consecutive years and has also been recently recognized by Forbes as “1 in 5 top resorts in USVI”, and by Travel Awaits as one of the “Best Luxury Resorts on St Thomas." Read more.
U.S. Virgin Islands Hosts First-Ever "Vaccine Fete"
The U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism’s Division of Festivals has pioneered the return of in-person Carnival events while prioritizing public health safety and the importance of getting the COVID-19 vaccine. The 2021 Carnival Virgin Islands “1 Night, 1 Fête” took place seaside at The West Indian Company Limited (WICO) dock on St. Thomas, and featured leading U.S. Virgin Islands musical groups Cool Session Brass, Legacy Band and Spectrum Band. 2021 International Soca Monarch Farmer Nappy of Trinidad and Tobago headlined the “Vaccination Jam”, which accommodated 200 vaccinated patrons and stressed compliance with COVID-19 protocols, including physical distancing, mask-wearing and proper handwashing hygiene. Read more.

More local news:
Donation Request for Annual Tourism Week Raffle
The Department of Tourism will host its annual Tourism Week activities, May 16-22. Activities include a Virtual Career Fair, Wear Red Mask Day, Virtual Customer Service Training sessions and Territory Wide Clean and Juan F. Luis Hospitals.
 
We are also interested in conducting a raffle. If you are interested in partnering with us, we’d like to include staycations, day sails, restaurant certificates, etc. - anything to show appreciation. If you’d like to donate, contact Luana Wheatley at lawheatley@usvitourism.vi or 340-244-2404.
 
The Department will send a flyer will the list of activities for the week. Your participation would be greatly appreciated.
FEMA Seeks Public Feedback for Programs
FEMA is seeking public comments for programs that deal with climate change and underserved populations. FEMA posted in the Federal Register a Request for Information on programs, regulations and policies. The feedback will assist FEMA in identifying specific action that will better address climate change and underserved communities and populations. The comment period will be open through June 21.
 
President Joseph R. Biden issued three executive orders, 13985, 13990 and 14008, requiring agencies to assess programs to determine the following:
 
  • If agency programs and policies perpetuate systemic barriers to opportunities and benefits for people of color and other underserved groups.
  • If additional agency actions are required to bolster resilience to climate change.
  • If agency programs, policies and activities address the disproportionately high and adverse climate-related impacts on disadvantaged communities.
 
Comments can be submitted through June 21 via the Federal eRulemaking Portal, Docket ID: FEMA-2021-0011. Please follow the instructions on the page and contact the Regulations.gov Help Desk if you have technical issues.
 
FEMA encourages public comment and responses to these questions. For additional information on the request for information, visit FEMA.gov. Read more. Read FEMA's advisory update. Read FEMA's Food and Nutrition Resource Roadmap.

More regional news:
Start of Hurricane Season - The Time to Prepare is Now
Don't wait for a storm to strike! Check in on your insurance today. Experts are predicting another active hurricane season for 2021. Being prepared for a major storm is not just important - it is vital to your safety and the protection of your organization. Make sure you have adequate insurance coverage for your business! Here are some tips for making (or reviewing) your disaster plan that you should consider as we roll into hurricane season. Read more.
Association Health Plans Available Now through Elan
The Hotel & Tourism Association continues to work to identify great opportunities for our members. We've recently signed an agreement with Elan Insurance Group to offer Association Health Plans. Click the photo to view the PDF version in your browser. The PDF lets members know about:
  1. This great NEW benefit
  2. Who is qualified to receive it
  3. How to get started

For more information, contact Omar Andres Haedo directly at omar.a.haedo@elan.insure.
Bryan Williams' Tip: YOUR Expectations Matter
There is something very powerful about having high expectations. It's inspiring to see strong leaders who insist on excellence, set challenging goals and expect their teams to succeed.

On the other hand, nothing good comes from having low expectations.

  • When expectations are low, your team knows it.
  • When expectations are low, your top performers know it.
  • When expectations are low, your customers know it.

So, ask yourself:
  • What am I consistently modeling, celebrating and tolerating?
  • Am I a living, breathing manifestation of what I expect to see on my team?

Takeaway: People don’t do what the organization expects, they do what the leader pays attention to.
Save the Date
Click here to view upcoming events. And don't forget to share your special events with members today by emailing kaufmann.laurel@gmail.com.
Lisa Hamilton 
USVIHTA President 
340-774-6835