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St. Croix fared slightly better.
Here's the info:
St. Thomas Last in Magazine's Ranking of World Islands
Nov. 1, 2007 -- The November/December issue of National Geographic Traveler, a top-flight travel magazine, slammed St. Thomas in a recent survey that focused on tourism overkill on islands around the world.
St. Thomas had a rating of 37 on a scale of 1 to 100, the very bottom of the list. St. Croix fared better with a 53, and St. John came in at a 70. Tortola had a rating of 61.
Tourism Commissioner Beverly Nicholson Doty said Wednesday that National Geographic Traveler did not contact the Tourism Department before the survey. However, she said she followed up with the magazine and will be given an opportunity to comment.
"We understand the impact of the magazine," Doty said. She said she was not pleased with the story, but will address the "challenges" outlined for the territory in the article. Doty said she plans to explore how the magazine arrived at its ratings.
The top island in the Caribbean was Dominica with a 77. The Faroe Islands in Denmark topped the list with an 87.
According to the article, islands with ratings of 0 to 25 are catastrophic, and 26 to 49 -- which is where St. Thomas falls -- are in serious trouble. Islands with ratings of 50 to 65, like St. Croix and Tortola, are in moderate trouble. Those with ratings of 66 to 85, including St. John, have minor difficulties. Islands with a rating of 86 to 95 are authentic, unspoiled and likely to remain so. A score of 96 to 100 is considered enhanced.
"This survey isn't the final word on the travel health of the world's islands," Traveler Editor in Chief Keith Bellows said, according to a news release on the National Geographic Traveler website. "It's a work in progress, a snapshot in time. We hope that places at the bottom of our destination scorecard won't be there for long. We're interested in constructive criticism, not condemnation."
National Geographic Traveler teamed up with its National Geographic Center for Sustainable Destinations to conduct the survey of 111 selected islands and archipelagos. According to the article, the scores reflect the opinions of 522 experts in sustainable tourism and destination stewardship.
Several of those experts had past affiliations with the Virgin Islands, including former Tourism Commissioner David Edgell. Others are Jim Owens, who served as a park planner, and Ginger Garrison, who worked for the U.S. Geological Survey on St. John.
And Harry S. Parisier writes Explore the Virgin Islands, a guidebook to the territory.
Randy Brown, who currently serves as V.I. Environmental Resource Station administrator, and Rafe Boulon, the park's chief of environmental resources, are on the list. Boulon said he had no idea how he was picked.
"I received an email one day that asked me to participate," he said.
He selected a handful of islands he was familiar with, including St. Thomas, St. Croix, St. John and Tortola, as well as a couple farther south.
The experts were picked because they were well-traveled people with an understanding of sustainability and tourism issues, said National Geographic spokeswoman Carol Seitz on Wednesday.
The experts judged the islands with which they were familiar on environmental and ecological quality, social and cultural integrity, condition of historic buildings and archaeological sites, aesthetic appeal, quality of tourism management and outlook for the future.
The list provides a link to quotes from the experts, but does not identify them by name.
This is what they had to say about St. Thomas:
"A mess -- too many cruise ships disgorging their passengers into the small town. Totally spoiled and low-quality, high-volume destination."
"The main town is essentially one big, ugly jewelry store, but the island is nice outside of the main town."
"Must have been a lovely place before it became the shopping mall for cruise ships. Still some pretty beaches away from the shoppers and stunning views from steep hills."
"Once upon a time, St. Thomas was the most beautiful island in the Caribbean , with sculpted peaks and deep coves. It's all developed now, and the pressure of up to 10 cruise ships in a day (almost two million arrivals a year) erases that natural beauty. The native population is unfriendly, with a coldness that borders on outright hostility ."
The remarks about St. Croix were slightly better:
"Mixed bag; this island hosts one of the largest petrochemical plants in the Caribbean and has significant environmental problems. Coastlines are stunningly beautiful, whereas inland shows significant signs of mismanaged land and environmental degradation."
"St. Croix has a natural and cultural heritage showcased through its National Park Service and National Wildlife Refuge sites."
"Social and cultural integrity the most intact of the U.S. Virgin Islands . Environment was drastically changed in the plantation era -- a part of cultural heritage. Crime is a major problem, as is water quality on many beaches. Could be sustainable if rampant development is kept in check. Hotels mainly big, with a big footprint on the island. Few locals benefit from tourism. A real West Indian island where locals work and live, not a tourism-dedicated playground."
"The addition of the Virgin Islands' first casino in 2001 was a dumb move -- the garish facility draws few tourists, but a fair quantity of locals, who gamble their paychecks away."
And the reviewers agree that St. John's V.I. National Park saved the island from the fate of its sisters, but see problems on the horizon:
"St. John is the best in the Caribbean. Much of its natural environment has been saved by the Park Service and ecologically minded business people. Its long-term prospects, especially for the locals, will depend on good sustainable tourism management."
"The national park has saved this virgin from being tired like St. Thomas. There's almost no trash along the roads, you can hike for a couple of miles without coming across structures, and there are fabulous bays reachable only on foot (or boat); snorkeling is outstanding. Still, several beaches are heavily impacted by cruise ship visitors ferrying over from St. Thomas. The park is understaffed. One-third of the island is not park and is under siege with over-scaled villas. Cruz Bay is losing its ramshackle charm to newer buildings containing shopping malls and real estate developers. Traffic is congested."
Tortola got kudos for its charter industry, but a warning about its development.
"Beautiful island with considerable environmental quality. Threat of development looms."
"Most tourism associated with chartering boats -- highly appropriate and sustainable tourism the way the BVI is regulating it."
"A highly priced island where natives are fiercely proud and protective of their territory."
"Failure to control cruise tourist visits, including permitting up to 3,500 visitors a day, is seriously diminishing quality of life for BV Islanders."
"Tortola is rapidly experiencing the problems of mass-tourism destinations, thereby losing its charm and uniqueness. Blame the cruise ships, poor land-use planning and high-density development. Its sister islands in the BVI are far more attractive."
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Ouch...i am just gutted to realize that I agreed with pretty much everything that they wrote. I guess my love affair with the islands is truly over. The truly sad part is that at every opportunity to reverse the slide or improve matters, the administration and to a certain extent the people have chosen the status quo. i can't post anymore becaue I cannot be a booster for the VI and that is what is needed on this forum.
I know this is going to make me unpopular with some people, but, on this
one I don't care.
Consider this when traveling, or, as a resident of an island or coastal town/city.
JUST 'ONE' CRUISE SHIP IN ONE DAY--
Carries on average 3,000 passengers and crew.
PRODUCING---
30,000 GALLONS of human waste.
225,000 GALLONS of non-sewage waste water the results of body soaps,
hair products, laundry and dish washing products.
3 1/2 TONS of garbage, and solid waste. (Food items, paper, plastic )
15 GALLONS of toxic chemicals
37,000 GALLONS of oily bilge water.
GENERATES air pollutants equivalent to the emissions from 12,000 automobiles.
Using MILLIONS OF GALLONS of ballast water, used to stabilize the ship, taken from
one port. BRINGING NUMEROUS FOREIGN aquatic plants and organisms (some
diseased) TO BE RELEASED in another port thousands of miles away. CAUSING
invasive non-native marine species to directly compete with native reef systems,
and food sources for fish.
SO, PLEASE--
understand this as well, most cruise companies DO NOT CARE TO REGULATE, NOR
CHANGE their mode of operations, due to large profits from the traveling, uneducated
masses. Leaving the places they visit far less environmentally in tack, stress free,
and economically richer for the problems they ultimately create.
Have a great day. I mean it, too.
Sure glad to see that they at least recognize that there is life outside of Charlotte Amalie - altho most don't see it or even know of it! My only quandry is that considering the many years I've gone to and spent lots of time on STT/STJ and the many friendships I've developed with on-islanders, I've always had trouble identifying the "native" population and who that is because I've encountered neither the hositility nor the cold indifference that supposedly distinguishes a "native."
Unfortunately, or fortunately since many can now travel than ever before so that's goodt, tourism/cruises have taken their toll on the entire Caribbean and the fact that Dominica and the Grenadines (which I just love) only come in at 77, does not bode well for the entire basin. As each island races for the gold coins that tourism brings, they sometimes don't tend to the cost of those coins as it strains the resources and "progress" is a very mixed bag as Anguilla is learning and some know on St. John. Now everyone "has" to have the the McMansions with all the accompanying luxuries of conspicious consumption - air conditioning, pools, hot tubs and every little whirleygig that is the lastest that sucks up and strains the infrastructure and resources. The bulldozers scrape away the land leaving run-off and mudslides, the chemicals and fertilizers and sewage (where do all those charter boats empty their collection systems for waste? there are only 2 places on STT and none on STJ ) that the clog the waters. Doesn't anyone remember Tootsie Roll beach? The traffic jams. It's just not the cruise ships that do not care to regulate altho it has been shown that the cruisers add little to a local economy with some even packing picnic lunches so they don't have to be on the economy of the island other than maybe a taxi.
Not a tree-hugger by any length of the imagination but we are not careful with our Earth and special places like the Caribbean will be fewer and fewer and that's what the article is saying if the warnings are not heard. When Mongoose first opened there was a t-shirt store upstairs and the best seller was a globe with the saying "Save the Earth. Start with St. John" and an arrow pointing to the island. After seeing it in March, I don't think we've done such a good job.
which is why i do not ever want to see a cruise ship ever again on st. croix, i fondly refer to them as the "pig" people, years ago before i moved here i flew from mpls to PR to get my connection to st croix and i flew with a lot of the cruise ship passengers going to PR to board their ships or back to states from their cruises and most of the time they could not tell you what islands they were on at all but they could tell you what they ate every night on the ship. I would rather see the airplane people come to st croix and use the hotels,car rentals and restaurants, they are usually here for a week to 10 days and actually get to know the place.
You can read the entire article by going to the National Geographic Travler online. I did and agreed with their interesting observations. I have been to about 15 of the rated islands and their short description was pretty good.
All that being said, I am a hot weather lover, so some of their higher rated islands hold no appeal for me.
They are dead bang right on about St Thomas. We all see it and know it. Despite that most people here hate going to town and enjoy the away places. There is no doubt that St Thomas has been "loved to death". Let's hope we can preserve St John and St Croix before it is too late.
There's a famous Yogi Berra quote:
"Nobody goes there anymore because it's too crowded."
Somehow I think it fits here.
Apples and Oranges. While some call the cruisers "boat people" and such they are only there for the day. Others that fly in need hotels and such to stay in, thereby creating more infrastructure. Name your poison. How do you turn back the hands of time?
As far as the cruise ships go,
Why do the governments of any nation allow the Cruise Lines to operate
without some sort of International Standards for the health and safety of
our seas, and coastlines?? Even the health and safety of their own passengers
is a joke.
I'm disgusted that they are allowed their current despicable existence, and
equally dismayed that people choose to keep their heads in the sand about
it. But, now I'm thinking about those eye-sore, beach hogging, skyscraper hotels, and their water-sucking
golf courses.
Wish traveling was more about visiting the 'real' place, experiencing the 'real' culture,
without the 'fake' trappings of 'fantasy-gone-wild'.
last year was our first visit to St. John and we landed and caught a taxi in St. Thomas to Red Hook, i was really worried that i picked a destination that was not for me. The island was bumper to bumper traffic (remind you i was going on off season) and i couldn't believe how dirty it was. This was paradise? give me Ohio! But, St. John saved my opinion on the islands. it's truly beautiful, and the development should stop.
I have done one cruise, that's all it took for me to never want to do another. i felt like a prisoner having a few hours to get off a boat and do what? shop? go on a little tour, run to a beach with 50 other people. granted some people love them, i totally dislike them. that's not vacation.
now Samantha you need to try St.Croix
It's sad to say but we've turned into a generation of "Disney World" lovers where the planned and contrived is cleaner, more maintained and just more convenient than the real world. I've only been to DW once and have no desire to return, made me think of the Stepford Wives and that is not where I want to spend my vacation time or $$. Cruise ships are much the same plus you have the nearly slave labor practices that are used to provide enough staff for support of every passenger's every whim and and fancy.
Dream Conch,
That's why staying in a villa is the way to go! Real house, real neighborhood, real life situations with a pool! A nicer way to see the Island.
Yesterday, I was at the airport and met a gentleman who was doing an airport escort for a villa I am not familiar. (I had met him there before). I told him he looked so nice, (dressed well) and loved his big smile! He said," Thank You, I HAVE to be like this! We just got rated the bottom of the scale and we have to boost that back up"! I knew right away what he was referring to and what a wonderful way to think! 🙂 Enlightening!
Sorry guys, STT is NOT all that bad! Mind you, I am NOT saying that I am ignoring our problems here. I am saying that I love my Island and love where I live and I know many out there enjoy themselves when they come here!
Sherri,
I do agree that staying in a less obtrusive small villa, is the way to get a better experience.
I often wonder though, if there is some compensation that goes back to real improvements
to the community at large from the profits made by the owners of those villas (even the large
hotels), that amounts to a fair and balanced program that contributes to enhanced
infrastructure such as trash recycling, solar energy, and water reclaimation, to name a few
because, as travelers we use available resources that are sometimes very limited, and strained.
I do know they provide jobs for people as yourself.
However, whenever any of us travels, we add to the burdens, and stresses of the local populations
in ways we don't often contemplate.
The poorer countries we sometime visit, need tourist dollars to help their economies, not diminish
them.
It can be a win-win experience for all. And, it should be.
Sherri , I love your island too ! ( it's mine on a part time basis ) For the record , in the four years I have been coming down ( 20 times at least ) , I think St Thomas is improving .......nicer port in red hook , nicer waterfront at YHG ...etc. And by the way Ive been to alot of Islands , believe me St thomas stands tall !! I can find negativetown in any destination ! ( Orlando incuded ! ) ......( don't send me email blasts orlando people ! , I'm from o-town )
Sherri, I love STT too...you just have to get around on the island and see all the beauty.
I'd take STT over Jamaica ANY day...
Sherr, your private message box is full :o(
Hi Dream Conch,
Where do I start in answer to your questions! First and foremost, without tourism in STT and STJ, we would be in serious trouble as most all of us rely on it!
Villas (not to mention hotels) hire maids, caretakers, pool cleaners and maintenance people. Beyond that you have the staff of the villa management company, in house activities such as Chefs, and Massage professionals. Then there is water sport activities, restaurants, people who deliver baby gear, groceries or special baskets made up for special occasions! After that you have 8% hotel tax which goes back into the tourism economy, 4% gross receipts and all of our income tax stays here in our own community!
We catch our own water in which the grey water from the showers and sinks is then used to water the plants and fruits in our yard! This includes septic water as well, where we have Banana Trees growing and profiting (our guests profit too)! (I really feel so sorry for the people in Georgia right now). We also terraced the whole yard to save top soil. Water conservation is something that all of us practice on a daily basis and this information is also passed on to villa guests. We have 12 volt lighting in our villas and will be putting in solar pool heaters before season gets rolling and are also planning on putting in Solar Water Heaters at both villas hopefully within the next year! (Just picked up info on that last week)!
It is a win-win situation for us all!
We also compost and grow our own veggies, right now on a small scale and hope to do even more!
As for recycling here, that comes and goes with Government funding and I can't tell you where that stands right now.
There is ware and tare on our coral here (even in STJ), but that is happening everywhere and it is up to all of us to go by the rules. I go out of my way to pick up trash in the streets and beaches as well.
Hope I touched upon some of the answers to your questions! 🙂
Thank you, Sherri,
For pointing out the energy that you expend, and for the tax system in place that help with the improvements and care so needed to keep the VI progressing toward a better future. I so apprieciate the work that people living there make ,so your islands can stay beautiful, and fruitful.
Your efforts come from the love you have of the special place you live.
Thank you to all who care about those wonderful islands.
Just like to add me 2 cents to this discussion.
When you are the front runner as St Thomas is in the tourist business, you will always be attacked. Yes St Thomas has problems like many of other other destinations that was mentioned, but what these people fail to understand is that there are real families and people who depend heavily on the tourist trade for their living. I guess they just want us to live in in grass Huts and do not enjoy any of the advances that the world have to offer. There is alot that can be done to improve the environment not only on STT but throughout the entire US.
As one of the posters said before STT stands tall in comparison to many of those islands that has been given a higher ranking. Just look at the migration of the population that has taken place from some of those islands to STT. These people are moving for a better life, the one that STT has to offer. So many times when I read this board, there are people on here who complaints about the things that they were not able to get while on STT. Whether it's the coffee that they like or whatever. Just remember advances comes with a price. The question is are we willing to pay that price . I wish more could be done to protect STT from more development but just like every other place on this map, "money talks and you know what walks".
For those of you on here who agree with the article, remember it's just there opinion that's all it is an opinion.
Hey, Connie ...
Forbes reports:
Jamaica keeps on trucking” said the Jamaica Tourist Board’s Basil Smith. With nearly 1.7 million U.S. visitors, Jamaica tied with Germany as a Top 10 American traveler destination in 2006. Compared with 2000, Jamaica’s U.S. visits increased a whopping 90%.
I've never been - been tempted a couple of times but others won!
http://www.forbestraveler.com/caribbean-deluxe-guide.html
http://www.forbestraveler.com/Caribbean/caribbean-sexiest-beaches-story.html
http://www.forbestraveler.com/Caribbean/caribbean-beach-bars-story.html
Another Caribbean tradition is the beachside bar as community center. Places like Skinny Legs on St John and Nippers in the Bahamas are not just places where tourists can grab a drink, but also social hubs for the seaside villages in which they are located. They host community sporting events and charity functions, family Christmas parties and Easter egg hunts. The vibe is light years different on holiday weekends - when hundreds of outsiders come to town - than during the rest of the year, when these beachside bars are a great place to meet the locals and snatch a glimpse of regular island life.
