St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands (May 17, 2023) - The inaugural Virgin Islands Boating Exhibition (VIBE) will take place May 10-12, 2024, at IGY's Yacht Haven Grande Marina St. Thomas. The event will showcase cutting-edge sail and power yachts, conveniently located within a demo-drive distance of the world's best cruising grounds.
VIBE is organized by the Virgin Islands Professional Charter Association (VIPCA), which works year-round to support the territory's annual $90 million charter industry and is renowned for its successful USVI Charter Yacht Show. With a focus on luxury, intimacy, and a boutique-style show, set against the backdrop of St. Thomas, VIBE promises to be a must-attend event for yachting enthusiasts.
VIPCA has hired Boat Show Consultant Kevin Murphy, former Strictly Sail Shows Manager for the National Marine Manufacturers Association, who has a proven track record of bringing together exhibitors, sponsors, and attendees at boat shows throughout the U.S and is excited to launch a show at one of the world's top super yacht marinas in the beautiful U.S. Virgin Islands, an unparalleled cruising destination. USVI Governor Albert Bryan Jr., comments: "The U.S. Virgin Islands enjoys a vibrant marine tourism sector and is eager to build on this with the first Virgin Islands Boating Exhibition. Our territory offers benefits such as EDC (Economic Development Commission) incentives, a strong financial infrastructure, and reliable airlift and marine repair services to support the boating industry. We take pride in providing an environment that fosters business growth and development, and we welcome all those interested in investing in our thriving maritime economy."
The U.S. Virgin Islands offers a business-friendly environment for buying and selling yachts, thanks to its use of the U.S. dollar, U.S. banking institutions, and exclusive tax incentives. With no sales tax and duty-free allowances for vendors, the territory provides favorable conditions for conducting yacht transactions. Additionally, the well-established and highly successful charter industry in the USVI presents opportunities to speak directly with local company representatives about purchasing a vessel for income-producing crewed charters.
Boutique Destination Yacht Show
IGY's Yacht Haven Grande Marina St. Thomas provides an idyllic setting for yacht sales, exhibitors and attendees. Recognized as Superyacht Marina of the Year four times since 2016 by the prestigious UK-headquartered The Yacht Harbour Association, this venue offers first-class dockage facilities, as well as chic waterfront restaurants and shops in a park-like setting.
Photo: Yachts on show at VIPCA's 2022 USVI Charter Yacht Show. Credit: Mango Media.
The Charlotte Amalie Harbor, where the marina is located, is also a hub for regularly scheduled yacht transport ships delivering vessels from North America and Europe, making it possible for VIBE attendees to see new hulls straight from the factory.
U.S. Virgin Islands Commissioner of Tourism, Joseph Boschulte, comments: "We are thrilled to welcome all yacht dealers, manufacturers, exhibitors, local and global vendors, and attendees to our award-winning destination in the U.S. Virgin Islands. We hope that visitors and attendees not only take the time to discover new yachts, but also enjoy the islands from both land and sea for a world-class experience for all visitors. We look forward to showcasing the best of what our destination has to offer."
Located 15-minutes from Cyril E. King airport, Yacht Haven Grande is a highly regarded and sought-after dock for boating fans from all over the world. As a U.S. territory, U.S. citizens arriving from the mainland or another territory can enter without a passport, with direct flights from major U.S. gateway cities, such as Boston, New York, Miami, Atlanta, Dulles, and Chicago, on carriers like American, Delta, JetBlue, Spirit, and United.
To register for the Virgin Islands Boating Exposition (VIBE) visit http://www.vibe.vi/
For information about the Virgin Islands Professional Charter Association (VIPCA) visit http://www.vipca.org/
About VIPCA
VIPCA is the territory's 501(c)(6) non-profit marine association, whose purpose is to preserve, protect and promote the charter yacht sector of the U.S. Virgin Islands marine industry and the businesses that sustain them. VIPCA's focus is multi-faceted and includes offering membership benefits such as access to health and hull P&I insurance; sharing pertinent and timely industry updates and information; producing a Marine Directory of marine vendors and services; promoting USVI marine charter tourism; liaising with USVI, BVI, and PR to assist in cooperative efforts; seeking relevant official rulings from Customs and Border Protection (CBP); developing USVI marine infrastructure, including moorings; providing compliance guidance for mariners and vessels; and providing marine vocational training for USVI youth under VIPCA's charity, the Marine Rebuild Fund, which is fiscally sponsored by the Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands (CFVI.net). http://www.vipca.org/
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About the U.S. Virgin Islands
The U.S. Virgin Islands are an official U.S. territory in the Caribbean that consist of three individual islands - St. Thomas, St. John and St. Croix. Perfect for leisure or business travel, the U.S. Virgin Islands are rich with culture, history, surrounded by breathtaking beaches. When traveling to the U.S. Virgin Islands, U.S. citizens can enjoy all the conveniences of domestic travel as no passport is required for U.S. citizens arriving from Puerto Rico or the United States. Entry requirements for non-U.S. citizens are equivalent to entering the United States from any international country. Upon departure, a passport is required for non U.S. citizens. For more information about the United States Virgin Islands, go to VisitUSVI.com, follow us on Instagram (@visitusvi) and Twitter (@usvitourism), and become a fan on Facebook (www.facebook.com/VisitUSVI).