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Tourism nominee outlines festival plans, cultural coordinator and efforts to boost air and cruise lift
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Summary
Jennifer Matarangus King, nominee for tourism commissioner, told the committee the Department of Tourism is hiring district directors, expanding marketing and visitor services, and coordinating safety and logistics for the Cruzin' Christmas Festival while adding a tourism cultural coordinator role to connect schools and local culture to festival programming.
Jennifer Matarangus King, the commissioner‑nominee for the U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism, told the Committee on Economic Development and Agriculture that the department is expanding staff and programming to support an active festival season and sustained visitor growth. "My goal is to strengthen community connections, raise awareness, and highlight the department's very hard work," she said during a Nov. 10 hearing.
King described initiatives the department says have contributed to growth: expanded air service (new routes from Chicago, Orlando, Baltimore), sports and entertainment partnerships that the agency says correlate with a 20% rise in bookings in certain markets, and a focused Saint Croix airfare credit program that she said helped nearly 1,500 visitors reach Saint Croix. Department figures cited in testimony included an attributable hotel revenue estimate of about $306 million in 2025 and a marked increase in Saint Croix cruise arrivals.
Festival planning occupies much of the department’s near term work. The division of festivals updated the Cruzin' Christmas Village lineup, expanded on‑island marketing and accommodation of over 20 local performers, and is coordinating a multi‑agency safety plan with VIPD, VITEMA and other partners. Officials said scheduled changes — including combining J'ouvert and the Food Fair on the same day — followed VIPD advice about staffing and public‑safety risks; that guidance drew questions from several senators concerned about traffic and vendor congestion.
The department also announced two workforce and community initiatives: hiring directors of visitor experience for each district, and creating a tourism cultural coordinator role to link hospitality training to high‑school and university programs. "The tourism cultural coordinator will be the in‑house expert...working very closely with the division of cultural education," King said, saying the role will also help recruit volunteers and interns from local schools.
Senators probed measurements of marketing ROI, vendor payment timing, artist compensation, and contingency planning for federal disruptions to air service. The commissioner‑nominee said the department participates regularly in aviation conferences—Routes America and Routes International—and works with agencies and partners to monitor potential federal shutdown impacts on travel. The committee requested follow‑up information on public‑safety coordination, vendor protocols, and the department’s plans for passenger transport and restrooms during heavy cruise days.
