USVI Tourism Falls Amid Recession

CHARLOTTE AMALIE, U.S. Virgin Islands (AP) — The global economic slowdown is slamming tourism in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The Bureau of Economic Research says the number of visitors to the three-island U.S. territory fell by 12.7 percent for the first eight months of this year compared to the same period in 2008.

The bureau says that 222,506 fewer people traveled to the Virgin Islands this year during that period.

Lisa Hamilton is the president of the sun-soaked islands' Hotel and Tourism Association. She said Saturday that hotels have been slashing rates to lure visitors.

The territory is heavily reliant on tourism.