The Virgin Islands Daily News is reporting that the U.S. Virgin Islands had fewer visitors and more empty hotel rooms during the first six months of 2012 than in 2011, according to data released by the V.I. Bureau of Economic Research.
The bureau tracks airline and cruise ship passenger arrivals, as well as hotel occupancy rates, on a monthly basis. The figures for April, May and June of this year were released last week after delays caused by conflicting data and untimely reporting by some hotels, according to a memo accompanying the figures, accruing to the report.
The total number of visitors to the territory fell slightly between 2011 and 2012, with 1,564,706 visitors in the first six months of 2011 and 1,547,883 visitors in the first six months of 2012 -- a drop of 16,823 visitors, or about 1 percent.
For the full report, click here.