Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
THE BLOOM OF TOURISM
When Cuba's doors closed to American tourists in 1959, the Virgin Islands were ready
for the rush of sunseekers. Cruise ships began making St Thomas their featured stop, and
yachties discovered the superb cruising in the islands east of St Thomas, particularly around
St John and the BVI.
Florence Lewisohn has two short but well-researched volumes on the islands' history,
St Croix Under Seven
Flags
and
Tales of Tortola and the British Virgin Islands
.
The next four decades in the islands brought unprecedented growth in the tourism in-
dustry, with dozens of luxury hotels and hundreds of guesthouses, condominiums and vaca-
tion villas popping up on the shores and hillsides of both the US and British Virgins. Con-
currently, the islands' population mushroomed.
The islands have endured more than their share of political corruption scandals - nepot-
ism, cronyism and bribery have long been a way of life. Also, some unexpectedly violent
crimes have rocked the Virgins, including the Fountain Valley Massacre on St Croix in 1972.
The biggest stories in recent years have been hurricanes. Several major storms have nailed
the islands since 1989. Hugo (in September 1989) and Marilyn (in September 1995) were
the most devastating, with Luis (September 1995) and Lenny (November 1999) not far be-
hind. Yet each storm brings improvements in the building codes, and more conscientious
preparedness.
The focus of the new millennium has been on balance: where to draw the line between de-
velopment and sustainability? And how to even out the economy beyond tourism, which has
proved vulnerable to global financial downturns? Alas, even paradise has its predicaments.
TIMELINE
C 1300
Taíno Indians, and later the Caribs, settle the islands. They leave behind petroglyphs
and ceremonial temples on St John, and pottery shards and ball courts on St Croix.
1493
Columbus arrives at St Croix's Salt River Bay, scuffles with locals, then sails away to
Puerto Rico - but not before naming the islands after European maidens.
