Released on = December 12, 2005, 6:50 am

Press Release Author = Corporate2000

Industry = Accounting

Press Release Summary = Before hurricane Maralyn hit the Virgin Islands in September
of 1995, the US Virgin Islands was on its way to becoming a tourism meca...then came
disaster.

Press Release Body = In early September of 1995, the US Virgin Islands was a Tourism
Mecca( particularly the island of St. Thomas). The Virgin Islands are made up of
three small islands( St. Thomas, St. John and St. Croix) in the Caribbean next to
Puerto Rico and about 1100 miles southeast of Miami, Florida. American Airlines and
the Cruise ships have long since been bringing in visitors and stimulating the
economy.

The 1980\'s were the days of Pan Am, Eastern Airlines( remember them?) and American
Airlines shuttling visitors to the US mainland. LIAT, Areo Virgin Islands, Ocean Air
and Prenair were commuter airlines shuttling visitors throughout the Caribbean from
the main airport in St. Thomas.

Back then the airport was only about 4,000 feet long with a huge hill at the end
forcing the major airlines to take off with limited fuel(to cut down on weight) and
having to stop at other airports with longer runways( like San Juan, Puerto Rico) to
be fueled for the trip to the mainland. These stops and lack of completion made
airline tickets very expensive.

In 1990 the expansion and completion of Cyril E King airport ( named after the late
governor to conceived the idea) changed the US Virgin Islands economy forever. The
hill was excavated, a brand new state of the art terminal and the runaway was
extended into the sea(from the excavated hill) to 7,000 feet. Eastern and Pan Am
were gone but now Delta airlines began nonstop flights to Atlanta and New York.
American Airlines began nonstop flights to Miami, New York and Boston. American
Eagle came in with up to 33 flights a day to the major Caribbean hub of San Juan by
itself( there popped up other commuters). Soon the airline tickets were a lot
cheaper and the visitors started returning but on a cruise. Because of the choices
of well over 80 airline flights a day( very good for an island of 32 square miles),
St. Thomas became the #1 cruise ship destination in the world!....then came
hurricane Marilyn in 1995.

Many businesses were completely destroyed and never came back. Some people were
without power from September to January 1996. Airlines and cruise ships had major
cutbacks( hotels had major damage). The island was completely dark at night for
weeks with no phones( over 11,000 light poles had to be replaced). Recovery was not
completed until 1997 but the Tourism Mecca was gone.....until now.

Delta and American Airlines are now joined by US Airways, United Airlines,
Continental Airlines and soon low-fare carrier Spirit Airlines. St. Thomas is now
back to being the #1 Cruise destination because of so many nonstop flights to the
mainland. You can now book a round trip to Fort Lauderdale, Florida on Spirit for
around $250( including taxes) and the other airlines are sure to lower their airline
ticket prices to compete.

Welcome back US Virgin Islands



Web Site = http://x.discount-travel-planner.com/

Contact Details = Auckland Semper Jr