Bryan told hotel association tourism arrivals rose 15% from a year earlier

Gov. Albert Bryan Jr. delivered the keynote address at the U.S. Virgin Islands Hotel & Tourism Association’s 2025 Annual General Meeting on St. Thomas on March 27, 2025, where he said visitor arrivals had increased 15% from the previous year.

Speaking at the Ritz-Carlton, Bryan said the territory’s tourism growth reflected cooperation between government and the private sector. He also said tariffs, inflation and political uncertainty could affect the territory’s economy, but argued the Virgin Islands was positioned to withstand a possible U.S. recession because of its leisure-travel market.

Bryan urged legislative action on taxation of short-term rentals, including Airbnbs, and said housing shortages remained a challenge. He also said labor shortages persisted despite low unemployment, citing immigration restrictions and limits on H-1B visas.

In his remarks, Bryan pointed to improvements in government services, including online vehicle registration and streamlined business licensing, and said tax collections had continued to rise.

Official source: https://www.vi.gov/governor-albert-bryan-jr-highlights-economic-growth-and-resilience-at-usvi-hotel-tourism-associations-2025-annual-general-meeting/