At the Governor’s Workforce Summit on St. Thomas Thursday, a panel of tourism and technology leaders explored how innovation could shape the future of tourism in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
The discussion discussed how digital storytelling, virtual and augmented reality, and mobile platforms are reshaping the visitor experience and how businesses, creatives and hospitality workers can use these tools to connect more deeply with travelers, drive revenue and secure the future of the territory’s top industry.
Moderated by Samuel Rey, president and CEO of Host-U Services & Training Consultants, the discussion featured Ian Tomlinson, chair of the UVI Research and Technology Park Board; Ginger Carrington, business development executive at Geographic Solutions; Lisa Hamilton, president of the U.S. Virgin Islands Hotel and Tourism Association; and Siobhan James-Alexander, CEO of One Communications (VI) Inc.
Panelists highlighted how digital storytelling and emerging technologies are reshaping the visitor experience. Lisa Hamilton pointed to the power of social media:
“Bolongo Bay Resort has leveraged TikTok to reach over 200,000 followers and a million shares. Now, 20 to 30% of their guests come through TikTok. That’s a real revenue stream driven by digital storytelling.”
Panelists emphasized that digital platforms can significantly enhance the entire visitor experience. “It’s having that visibility online that people can research ahead of time that makes them excited and look ahead of time to get on that adventure when they arrive,” said Carrington. “So that they can have an agenda, if they’re an agenda planning kind of person, to know what to expect when they arrive.”
The conversation also turned to immersive technologies. “How far are we from a virtual reality person greeting us at the airport?” asked Carrington. “I was at a hotel recently, and the executive chef was not really there, but his image was, and he was talking about the restaurant. These are the things we’re going to start seeing in the future – absolutely, we’re already seeing them now.”
In that same spirit of how technology can personalize the guest experience in ways that feel both innovative and welcoming, Ian Tomlinson described the potential of facial recognition and data-driven personalization.
“Imagine someone walking up to the front desk and being greeted by name because the system recognizes them — even though you hadn’t met them before. That guest immediately feels, ‘This organization knows me already,’” Tomlinson said.
The panel encouraged the community to know that technology isn’t just for large hotels or tech companies. Small businesses and creatives can use digital platforms to connect with travelers and grow revenue.
Tomlinson gave some advice, “I would definitely encourage small businesses and vendors to adopt digital payments, you know, being able to accept PayPal, Venmo, and all that sort of stuff with a QR code. When you transact electronically, you get some information about your customer, and then you get more information so that you can get repeat business from those customers when they leave.”
Panelists discussed workforce development and the need for training opportunities at all ages. “It’s not too late for adults to learn,” said Carrington. “There’s funding out there for things that are free, or that people may not be aware of, that can get them the training to make them more competitive in the tourism and technology industry as it shifts.”
Tomlinson noted STEM educational efforts happening locally. “We have an after-school STEM program, and it’s now in 14 of the public schools,” he said. “It teaches them how to design systems, about robotics, physics, renewable energies — all of these things that, again, have utility within the industry.”
A recurring theme was the need to preserve the islands’ unique culture while embracing new tools.
“There are things that make you your authentic self — food, right?” James-Alexander said, “How you use technology to amplify that authentic self is where you need to go. I think preservation of culture and not losing yourself as we evolve is important, and it’s more important for Caribbean islands. And so who you are, where you are, where you came from, and why you are here, is always important. You use technology to tell your truth, and I think that’s where we need to balance.”
Tomlinson added another perspective, noting the importance of reaching both physical and virtual visitors in a culturally appropriate way: “We have to, in this age, also think about virtual visitors, because the number of virtual visitors is much larger than the physical visitors. We should be able to present that same authenticity to them … the customer may never hit the island, but they know all about it and can experience it in a virtual sense.”
Hamilton pointed out that embracing both tradition and technology is key to serving all generations of travelers. “With the different generations that we’re dealing with, it’s a bit of a hybrid still, but it’s moving very, very quickly. There are still some customers, some certain demographics. They really want to put that brochure in their hand … but if you want the traditional brochure, you can have it, and if you want the app, you can have that too.”
The panel was rich with examples of innovation, from QR code menus to contactless check-in, virtual reality, AI, and more. Yet, challenges remain. Panelists noted that some workers fear that automation will eliminate jobs, but they stressed that technology also creates new roles.
Panelists agreed that the future of Virgin Islands tourism depends on how effectively businesses and workers adopt digital tools.
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