U.S. Virgin Islands, March 25, 2008 For more than 15 years, the USVI Hotel & Tourism Association has hosted the annual Destination Symposium, the largest gathering of travel industry partners in the territory. This year's event, whose 2008 theme is Sizzling Summer Sampler, will be held June 2-6, 2008. The Wyndham Sugar Bay Resort & Spa and Frenchman's Reef Marriott will host the delegates.
The Symposium assembles traditional and on-line tour operators, travel trade media, hoteliers, airlines, magazine companies, attractions, association members, local tourism professionals, and others to renew relationships, update the partners on product and infrastructure improvements, and encourage discussions. This year's program will begin on St. Thomas with a reception hosted by Governor John DeJongh Jr., and continues with presentations by the Department of Tourism and their marketing agencies M Booth and Associates and J. Walter Thompson, and the Hotel & Tourism Associations' Cooperative Marketing Initiative. Participants will also have the opportunity to spend the finals days of the program on St. Croix meeting with hoteliers, touring properties, and exploring the "Big Island." While meetings are the predominant events during the Symposium, social activities will be infused into the schedule to showcase the diversity of the islands.
"This is an opportunity for the destination to have our marketing and media partners as a captive audience, explained Lisa Hamilton, President of the Hotel & Tourism Association. It's also a great time for our esteemed visitors to discover new product developments and discuss marketing partnerships for fall and winter."
Registration and sponsorship information can be obtained from the Hotel & Tourism Association by calling 340 774-6835, or emailing Canika John at canika@virgin-islands-hotels.com.
