USVI Hotel & Tourism Association Endorses Major Upgrades for St. Thomas and St. Croix Airports
In an Op-Ed, USVIHTA supports the redevelopment of Cyril E. King and Henry E. Rohlsen Airports through a public-private partnership with VIPorts Partners, emphasizing need for modern facilities to enhance the travel experience
2024-08-01 12:40:24 - VI News Staff
The USVI Hotel & Tourism Association (USVIHTA) fully supports the plans for essential and long-needed improvements to the airport experience on St. Thomas and St. Croix. The Cyril E. King Airport (CEKA) was built to process 600,000 arriving and departing passengers a year. In 2022, more than 1.65 million passengers used the terminal. Although the numbers were down in 2023, arrivals of 285,150 passengers through April 2024 are 26.2% higher year over year.
The terminals have not been upgraded since 1989 (CEKA) and 2000 (Henry E. Rohlsen Airport or HERA) except for the CEKA baggage claim area, renovated in 2014, and the HERA domestic lounge, remodeled in 2021. As the gateway to the islands for tourists, the airports provide the first and last impression for our visitors. As the territory continues to see an increase in tourist arrivals, there is a critical need to reimagine and improve the airport experience.