ST. CROIX, U.S. Virgin Islands — While traditional tourism often dominates Caribbean economic headlines, a senior official in the U.S. Virgin Islands says the Territory’s diaspora remains a powerful driver of travel, economic activity and cultural preservation.
During the opening of the 54th annual Agriculture and Food Fair — widely known as AgriFest — local tourism leadership highlighted the event’s role as a magnetic homecoming, blending family reunions with economic impact.
Speaking to a crowd gathered under the theme “Agriculture and Technology: An Ideal Mix in 2026,” Commissioner of Tourism Jennifer Matarangas-King emphasized that the festival serves as a primary draw for Virgin Islanders living abroad.
“AgriFest is also a time that many of the diaspora, we come back home,” she noted in her address. “I think because it’s a concentrated time, you have a weekend where you can get everything — the food, the music, the culture — and in many cases I see it’s like family reunions.”
The diaspora’s influence transforms the agricultural showcase into one of the Territory’s peak tourism weekends. Unlike typical leisure travelers, return visits by Virgin Islanders who migrated to the U.S. mainland or Europe often outpace one-time tourists in both frequency and emotional investment.
These visitors seek immersion in cultural staples such as tarts, pâté, johnny cakes and conch in butter sauce — traditions that fuel demand for local dining, ground transportation and accommodations. The USVI’s farm-to-table heritage has also inspired grassroots spin-off events including “Tart Wars,” Pâté Festival and Soup Festival.
These community-led initiatives continue to attract returning Virgin Islanders as well as national and international visitors, creating organic, community-rooted economic growth.
