Bryan outlines July tourism summit plans; White details May 3 Carnival horse races on St. Thomas

Gov. Albert Bryan Jr. said during a Government House briefing on April 15, 2024, that the territory planned to hold its first Governor’s Tourism Summit in July and that officials had discussed tourism matters with cruise-line executives at the Sea Trade Global conference.

Bryan said the July meeting was intended to serve as an end-of-season industry debrief to review what worked and where the territory needed to improve its tourism product.

He said he met at Sea Trade with executives from Disney Cruise Line, Norwegian, MSC Cruises, Holland America and Princess Caribbean. Government House said data presented at the conference showed that 5% of more than 31 million cruise passengers chose the U.S. Virgin Islands as a destination.

Sports, Parks and Recreation Commissioner Calvert White said the St. Thomas Carnival horse races were scheduled for Friday, May 3, 2024, at the rebuilt Clinton E. Phipps Racetrack on St. Thomas.

White said the track had been unused for seven years and required work to the running surface, along with the purchase of equipment and 200 tons of sand. He said the grandstands were rebuilt at three times the size of the previous structure and that a VIP section for 100 patrons, seven drink stations, multiple food vendors, metal detectors and scanners would be in place.

White said tickets would be sold online through Eventbrite under “Rebirth of Carnival races,” in addition to onsite entry changes intended to speed admission. General admission was set at $25, and tickets for children under 12 were set at $5.

Official source: https://www.vi.gov/governor-bryan-and-dspr-commissioner-calvert-white-detail-tourism-and-carnival-horse-race-plans/