The U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism continued to advance its air service development strategy at Routes Americas 2026, held March 3–5 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. During the event, the delegation met with key airline and airport partners to reinforce collaboration, strengthen long-term relationships, and support continued connectivity growth for the territory.
During the three-day forum, official meetings were held with Breeze, Copenhagen Airport, Delta, Southwest, United, Porter Airways, Denver Airport, and JetBlue. Conversations centered on strengthening relationships, sustaining momentum for the destination, and identifying practical next steps that support continued growth in access to the territory.
Commissioner Jennifer Matarangas-King emphasized the value of direct engagement with airline partners and airport leaders in one setting. “Routes Americas gives us a focused opportunity to sit down with the teams shaping airline network decisions and talk through what travelers are looking for, what markets are performing, and where the next opportunities are for the U.S. Virgin Islands,” said Commissioner Jennifer Matarangas-King of the U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism. “We are continuing to work closely with airline partners that currently operate flights to St. Thomas while exploring opportunities to expand service to St. Croix, where strong demand and yield signal clear potential for additional airlift. Our goal is to keep building smart, sustainable air access that supports our tourism economy and makes it even easier to reach our islands.”
In addition to the scheduled meetings, the delegation also connected with regional partners and tourism leaders, including the Caribbean Tourism Organization, as well as colleagues from Jamaica, Anguilla, Barbados, Turks and Caicos, and other destinations. These conversations reinforced the importance of collaboration across the region, particularly as Caribbean destinations align on shared challenges and opportunities tied to air access, traveler demand, and seasonal patterns.
Routes Americas is recognized as a leading platform for air service development in the region, combining one-to-one meetings with networking events designed to support decision making across airlines, airports, and destinations. The U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism will continue follow-up discussions initiated in Rio as part of its ongoing work to strengthen air connectivity and support the long-term growth of the territory’s visitor economy.
