Caribbean News

TCI: Tourism Minister presents 5-Star Pine Cay Meridian Club with acclaimed restaurant award

Published

3 years ago

May 9, 2021

#TurksandCaicos, May 9, 2021 – On Tuesday May 4, 2021, Hon. Josephine Connolly along with members of her Ministry namely, Permanent Secretary Cherylann Jones, Deputy Permanent Secretary Arthur Been and Executive Administrator Leandrea Missick were invited to the beautiful and tranquil island of Pine Cay to present the Pine Cay Meridian Club staff with a very eminent achievement.

The Pine Cay Meridian Club has gone from a 2.5-star hotel to a now 5-star luxury hotel. The hotel received confirmation on Friday, April 30, 2021 of it being accredited under the Relais & Chateaux Flag. With only six hotels previously under this prestigious title, Pine Cay Meridian Club has now become the 7^th hotel in the Caribbean and the 1^sthotel and restaurant in the Turks and Caicos to achieve Relais & Chateaux title.

About Relais & Châteaux: Relais & Chateaux is a worldwide association of individually owned and operated luxury hotels and restaurants representing many of the finest resorts in the world. It offers an introduction to a lifestyle inspired by local culture and a unique dip into human history. Its members have a driving desire to protect and promote the richness and diversity of the world’s cuisine and traditions of hospitality.

Hon. Connolly in her comments to management and staff stated, “Tourism as we know, is the breadbasket of these islands, and though the pandemic may have changed the way we do business, one thing that remains untouchable is our Tourism product. Heartfelt congratulations to Mr. Kirk Aulin and his amazingly small, but mighty team on this huge achievement. To now be one of 7 countries to hold such a prestigious title is certainly a big deal. I am immensely proud of each and every one of you and I encourage you to continue striving for excellence for you will indeed reap the fruits of your Labour”.

The day ended with touring of the property with management. The Minister and her team were able to sample meal offerings prepared by the talented chef and kitchen staff. Pine Cay Meridian Club is open for business and ready to be of service to you!

Related Topics:#JosephineConnolly #magneticmedianews #pinecaymeridianclub

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U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS SHINES AS A PREMIER DESTINATION AT THE 2024 SEATRADE CRUISE GLOBAL CONFERENCE

Published

1 day ago

April 22, 2024

Shanieka

St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI) –April 11, 2024—The U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism, led by Commissioner Joseph Boschulte, Assistant Commissioner Alani Henneman, and Deputy Commissioner RoseAnne Farrington, traveled to Miami, Florida, to support Governor Albert Bryan Jr. and other local partners agencies for the 2024 Seatrade Cruise Global Conference.

To kick off the week-long event, the Department of Tourism sponsored the highly anticipated Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA) barbecue, which was hosted by Governor Bryan.

Revered as a steady leader in the Caribbean tourism industry, the USVI delegation, which also included the Legislature of the Virgin Islands, the Virgin Islands Port Authority, West Indian Company Limited, Magens Bay Authority, and the U.S. Virgin Islands Government Employee Retirement System, showcased the territory and its growing accessibility around the cruise industry to key operators and businesses.

“Cruise has been and continues to be a leading entryway for visitors into the territory, and Seatrade allows representatives from the USVI to interface with and share pertinent updates needed to continue fostering positive relationships throughout the industry,” explains Commissioner Boschulte.

Commissioner Boschulte was featured on the Caribbean Spotlight panel moderated by renowned industry leader and FCCA CEO Michelle Paige, who referenced the Commissioner being named the 2023 Caribbean Tourism Executive of the Year by Caribbean Journal and shared how exceptional the publication’s acknowledgment of his accolades are. Paige referenced Caribbean Journal’s spotlight paragraph reading, “No Caribbean destination has seen more growth in the last three years than the U.S. Virgin Islands, which kicked off a full-fledged tourism renaissance just after the onset of the pandemic and hasn’t looked back. And so much of that growth can be directly tied to the expert stewardship of Boschulte, who helped craft an innovative, flexible response to the challenges of the pandemic and has continued to drive the USVI’s performance with a data-driven, creative approach to modern tourism.”

Commissioner Boschulte and Deputy Commissioner Farrington joined Governor Bryan for meetings with leading cruise lines, including Disney Cruise Line, Norwegian Cruise Line, and Carnival Corporation & plc, amongst others, to discuss continued partnerships, expansion opportunities, and industry updates.

As the global cruise industry continues to restabilize following challenges incurred during the COVID-19 pandemic, St. Thomas and St. Croix experienced a 13% growth in 2023 over 2019, with West Indian Company Dock, Crown Bay Dock, and E. Abramson Marine Facility welcoming more than 1,600,000 passengers from 495 total calls for the year. With a 58% year-over-year passenger increase from 2022 to 2023, the USVI continues to grow and is projected to experience another 5% increase in cruise passenger arrivals in 2024.

Commissioner Boschulte also highlighted the remarkable success of the USVI and Caribbean region, stating, “I am proud to see the Caribbean’s appeal continue to captivate travelers. Our collaborative efforts with partners like FCCA and the Caribbean Tourism Organization underscore the unity of our region, ensuring unforgettable experiences for visitors while highlighting the unique strengths of the U.S. Virgin Islands. With a safe, welcoming destination and a shared commitment to tourism, we embrace our role as an integral part of the Caribbean community.”

For more information about the U.S. Virgin Islands, please visit https://www.visitusvi.com/.