dept of tourism usvi

Government of the Virgin Islands

U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS LAUNCHES ONLINE PORTAL TO PRESCREEN ALL TRAVELERS

Home » U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS LAUNCHES ONLINE PORTAL TO PRESCREEN ALL TRAVELERS

U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS (July 24, 2020) – The U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism announced the launch of phase one of a new online portal that will prescreen and assist with the certification process of all travelers prior to their arrival in the Territory. The goal is to reduce the spread of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19).

The U.S. Virgin Islands Travel Screening Portal facilitates pre-arrival processing, thereby improving efficiency, reducing delays, and providing a more seamless traveler experience.

The development process will next integrate mobile optimization for the portal, followed by a hybrid mobile application launch, and artificial intelligence to automate the processing of laboratory test results from travelers visiting from highly impacted states and territories.

The secure portal, a result of the coordinated efforts of the Office of the Governor, the Virgin Islands Department of Health, the Virgin Islands Port Authority, the Ports of the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Department of Tourism can be found at www.usviupdate.com/travelportal .  

The Government of the U.S. Virgin Islands will provide oversight with respect to Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) compliance and other best practices to ensure the confidentiality and privacy of user information and personal data, and the overall integrity of the process.

Upon visiting the portal, all travelers will be greeted with a welcome that guides them through a series of screens, including General Information, Terms and Conditions, Traveler Information, and the COVID-19 Traveler Screening Tool. After travelers from highly impacted areas upload their COVID-19 test results, the information submitted will be processed in 24-48 hours and a certification code issued immediately upon completion.  

For most travelers, the portal screening and certification will eventually replace the existing manual procedure, which requires the physical completion and review of the COVID-19 Traveler Screening Tool at the Territory’s ports of entry. Once the passenger arrives, the Virgin Islands Port Authority, in conjunction with the Department of Health and the Virgin Islands National Guard, will process the traveler using the validation generated from the portal in addition to performing temperature checks with a thermal scanner.

“Our team has been working tirelessly to adapt to a rapidly changing operational environment in this ‘Open Doors’ phase of the pandemic,” said Commissioner of Tourism Joseph Boschulte, “and we continue to update our practices and procedures as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and local health officials.” 

The Commissioner applauded the efforts of the interagency teams and stated that the online portal, which prescreens all travelers and validates COVID-19 test results, is another positive step towards keeping residents and visitors safe.

Any traveler aged 15 and older whose home state (state of residence) has a COVID-19 positivity rate greater than 10 percent will be required to produce a negative COVID-19 antigen (molecular/PCR/rapid) test result received within five days prior to travel to the U.S. Virgin Islands or a positive COVID-19 antibody test result received within four months of travel to the Territory. Currently, residents of Puerto Rico are also subject to this requirement.

COVID-19 test results are also required from travelers, 15 years old and older, who have spent more than seven days in and are traveling from a state with a positivity rate greater than 10 percent. Positivity rates used are according to data and analysis from Johns Hopkins University: https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/testing/tracker/overview . 

For further guidance, the USVI’s Travel Advisory can be reviewed at: https://bit.ly/2CChShf .  

For more information, visit www.usviupdate.com or email [email protected] .

About the U.S. Virgin Islands

For more information about the United States Virgin Islands, go to  VisitUSVI.com , follow us on Instagram ( @visitusvi ) and Twitter ( @usvitourism ), and become a fan on Facebook ( www.facebook.com/VisitUSVI ). When traveling to the U.S. Virgin Islands, U.S. citizens enjoy all the conveniences of domestic travel – including on-line check-in – making travel to the U.S. Virgin Islands easier than ever. As a United States Territory, travel to the U.S. Virgin Islands does not require a passport from U.S. citizens arriving from Puerto Rico or the U.S. mainland. Entry requirements for non-U.S. citizens are the same as for entering the United States from any foreign destination. Upon departure, a passport is required for all but U.S. citizens.

To Reduce Health Risks, Increase Access to Quality Healthcare and Enforce Health Standards.

• St. Croix Office (340) 718-1311
• St. Thomas Office (340) 774-9000
• St. John Office (340) 776-6400
• Office of the Commissioner
• Reports and Plans

Site Information & Policies

• Send Us Feedback
• About the Website
• Privacy Policy
• Non-Discrimination Notice

Follow us on

BREAKING NEWS

• September 17, 2024
• Virgin Islands
• Coronavirus
• VIC Regional News
• Experience The USVI
• USVI Ports HUB
• Hurricane Season
• Entertainment
• Plaza Extra East
• Legal Notice
• Real Estate
• Send us Tips
• Agriculture
• Community Center
• Top Stories
• Disaster Recovery
• Disaster Preparedness
• Race Relations
• Miscellaneous
• Human Interest
• Sponsored Content
• Weather Updates
• Investigations
• Environment
• PictureSque

To save articles or get newsletters, alerts or recommendations – all free.

Don't have an account? Sign Up

Already have an account? Log In

Tourism Officials Say Outlook Rosy for USVI in 2023

• Janeka Simon
• August 01, 2022

• Reader's Pick

American Airlines and Spirit Airlines on the runway at the Henry E. Rohlsen Airport on St. Croix. By. ERNICE GILBERT/ V.I. CONSORTIUM

Reports also indicate that the territory enjoyed the highest average daily rate in the region at $637 during that same time period. USVI tourism also led in revenue per available room at $461.61

In 2022, things look set to beat last year's performance. For the first quarter of the year, visitor arrivals were up 153 percent compared to the same period in 2021. According to Tourism Commissioner Joseph Boschulte, over 450,000 people traveled to the USVI in the first three months. 

There were significant increases in airlift capacity as well. Post-Covid travel demands combined with efforts put in by the Department of Tourism led to the USVI becoming the fastest growing destination in the Americas in airlift capacity between 2019 and 2021.

The cruise industry, Mr. Boschulte says, has also rebounded. Over 450 cruise ship calls and 1.4 million cruise passengers are expected in fiscal year 2023, up from around 250 port calls in the 2022 fiscal year. 

Room capacity in the territory will also be expanded to accommodate additional stayover arrivals. As the V.I. Economic Development Authority gave testimony on the proposed Fiscal Year 2023 Budget, CEO Wayne Biggs spoke about some of their work on major hotel projects.

In regards to the Hotel Development Act Program, USVI EDA continues to work with two major projects on St. Croix. One hotel, RC Hotel Virgin Islands Inc., was approved for economic recovery fee, or ERF incentives, and is already in operation. The other, CREF3 USVI Hotel Owner, Inc. formerly known as Diamond Rock Frenchman’s Owner, Inc., was approved by the USVIEDA Board for Designated Hotel Occupancy Tax incentives and ERF, and is expected to come online by the end of 2022, adding 415 more jobs to the local market.

Mr. Biggs said the Economic Development Authority would focus on specific strategies to boost infrastructure in the trade zone, ready the area for increased investment and provide a full picture to potential investors of the scope of services the territory can provide. This includes exploring the feasibility of building a large scale-conference facility.

"To achieve this goal, it is critical to have a hotel located within the trade zone. The USVI EDA will continue discussions with the Virgin Islands Port Authority and hotel developers to construct a hotel near the airport on the Port Authority's property," he said.

The V.I. Department of Tourism remains optimistic about what is ahead for the territory’s hospitality industry.

Discover America's Paradise In The Beautiful U.S. Virgin Islands.

Everything for staying & playing in st. croix in the u.s. virgin islands.

St. Croix Beach Guide

Did you know... St. Croix is ringed by beaches of all shapes and sizes, some are long white sand stretches, others are small patches shaded by low sea grape trees and towering coconut palms. Some have smooth sandy bottoms ideal for swimming, and others have rock and coral-lined entries perfect for snorkeling! Did you know... St. Croix is the only Caribbean Island where a diver can: ●Dive a wall that drops over 13,000 feet ●Dive a reef that is the largest living reef of any Caribbean Island ●Dive five wrecks that are within 100 yards of each other ●Dive a pier MORE INFO      

St. Croix Weddings / Romance

DID YOU KNOW THAT... Many couples are opting to save the money (not to mention the stress and hard work) of a big wedding at home by escaping to a Caribbean island for a combination wedding/honeymoon. Upon their return, they can share the event by showing the video and photographs at an informal reception. All the islands are beautiful and, on some, weddings have become a major promotional tool. So why should you choose St. Croix above others? MORE INFO

Moving To St. Croix

DID YOU KNOW... In addition to it's long and rich multicultural history, friendly people, open spaces, the blue sea and near perfect year-round weather, there are a number of reasons to consider relocating to St Croix. Most importantly, the U.S. Virgin Islands, which includes St Croix, operate under U.S. law which is important in both business and personal matters.  This means mainland US companies do business here including retail stores such as K-Mart, Radio Shack, Office Max, McDonald's and Wendy's. Also U.S. financial services including a variety of U.S. mortgage, insurance and banking companies offer local service. U.S. cellular phone companies including AT&T and Sprint, both operate here. MORE INFO  

St. Croix Cruise Ship Arrival

Our Port The Ann E. Abramson Pier is named in honor of the Virgin Islands Public Works Commissioner who was responsible for much of the rejuvenation of the Frederiksted area. This is the pier where most of the large cruise ships dock, as well as military ships, submarines, and other naval vessels. From time to time, tall-ships especially from Denmark, can be seen here. The dock itself has been a favorite diving place especially for viewing bright coral, sponges, and a multitude of fish life. A night dive should reveal the sea-horses unique to this pier. Visitors arriving at the pier often walk through the small town of Frederiksted and walk to the nearby beaches and beach club. MORE INFO

Planning A Trip

Planning a trip to the St. Croix is exciting, fun and so easy…..

St. Croix Food Tours

Guided Food Tasting & Cultural Walking Tour On St. Croix

• Events & Festivals

St. Croix Water Sports

Come join us in our exploration of the unique underwater world.

• Where To Stay
• Things To Do
• Where To Eat
• Island Overview
• St. Croix Videos
• Beach Guide
• Water Sports
• Wedding / Romance
• Living / Moving Here
• Cruise Ships

Legal Stuff

• Privacy Policy
• Terms & Conditions

© Copyright 2023 VisitStCroix.com All photos + content © 1999-2023- all rights reserved VisitStCroix™ VisitStJohn™, VisitStThomas™ and VisitTheVI™ are trademarks and service marks of Tom Yaegel Associates, Inc 

Administrative Offices

• 2318 Kronprindsens Gade Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas 00802 (340) 774-8784  
• 321 King Street, Suite #7 Frederiksted, St. Croix 00840 (340) 772-0357

Welcome Booths & Visitor Centers

• Cyril E. King Airport
• Crown Bay Center
• John McCleverty Welcome Center, 9003 Havensight Mall Suite #13
• 6A Cruz Bay, St. John, USVI 00830
• 1000 Kings Alley, Christiansted, USVI 00820 Henry E. Rohlsen Airport (at baggage Claim)
• www.visitusvi.com
• www.usviupdate.com
• www.filmusvi.com
• www.usviambassadors.com

Do you have a project or event in The Virgin Islands?

• 321 King Street Suite 7 Frederiksted, VI 00840
• 340-772-0357
• 2318 Kronprindsens Gade Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas 00802
• 340-774-8784

Follow us on Social Media

• #usvistillnice
• @usvitourism