A report from Airbnb says that St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands is trending for spring travel among Airbnb guests.
The home-sharing service compared spring bookings from this year to last year to determine the destinations that have increased in popularity. The USVI’s St. Thomas took the sixth spot with a growth rate of 338 percent.
The news from Airbnb is part of a trend that was seen from last year when the travel booking site KAYAK said that St. Thomas was one of its most searched destinations for New Year’s Eve 2018.
Airbnb said, “travelers are yearning for local exchanges in less-frequented cultural districts over popular hot spots.”
The finding also noted what we who love the Caribbean have been hoping for, travelers continue to book trips to Caribbean destinations still recovering from the impact of the 2017 hurricane season.
“The U.S. Virgin Islands looks forward to welcoming these travelers to the Territory, many of whom might be visiting for their very first time. Renting an Airbnb during a stay is a great way to see our islands and experience our local VI vibes,” said Joseph Boschulte, Commissioner nominee for the U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism. “We hope all travelers who stay with us this spring and summer enjoy the fruits of our collective efforts to improve the tourism experience across the Territory.”
The full list of destinations Airbnb put out on booking growth rates includes:
– Guadeloupe, French Caribbean (157 percent)
*Airbnb defines “spring” as the booking period between March 1 and April 21.
We are so happy to see people returning to the lovely U.S. and British Virgin Islands year after year. The 2017 hurricanes did a lot of damage; many areas are still recovering and will be for years to come. The money tourism brings in is needed even more now than it was in the years before the destruction. So whether you stay at an Airbnb or a hotel or on a boat, continue to visit and love and support the Virgin Islands as we do.
nokidswilltravel 