Photograph of Kay R. Milliner-Kitchens available at: http://tinyurl.com/kaymilliner

US VIRGIN ISLANDS SUPPORTS FAITH TRAVEL EXPO THIS WEEKEND

ATLANTA (October 20, 2011) - The United States Virgin Islands Department of Tourism will voice its support of the faith travel and tourism market and will underscore the warm welcome the Territory offers the burgeoning sector.The department will this weekend participate in the first Faith Travel Conference & Expo on Saturday and Sunday October 22 and 23 at Atlanta's Cobb Galleria to help position the Territory as a top choice for this rapidly growing sector of the American market. 

Faith tourism is one of the fastest growing segments of world tourism today, with more than 300 million people participating in faith travel every year. Faith travel has grown from a niche market to a multi-billion dollar industry which comprises its own niches, such as conventions and meetings, leisure vacations, pilgrimage travel, cruising and retreats. Renowned church and spiritual leaders, pastors, evangelists, authors and recording artistes will join travel agents, Christian, Jewish and other faith-based consumers and travel suppliers for the weekend in Atlanta, a fitting venue due to the large number of faith-based nonprofits, including megachurches and parachurch ministries, headquartered in the state of Georgia. 

"We are keen about participating in this weekend's conference," said Kay R. Milliner-Kitchens, the Atlanta-based Director of Sales for the U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism. "We look forward to gaining insight into the latest trends in this important market segment and to sponsoring one of the breaks during which we will highlight our destination's alluring value proposition to faith-based travelers."The U.S. Virgin Islands would like Atlanta conference attendees to know why the Territory is such a good fit for the faith-based community. "With our strong faith heritage, historic churches and one of the oldest synagogues in the western hemisphere, we definitely look forward to the weekend's sessions and to welcoming many more faith-based travelers to our shores," said Commissioner of Tourism Beverly Nicholson-Doty.

The event, according to organizers, combines a comprehensive conference with a diverse marketplace of tour operators and domestic and international tourist offices to help spiritual leaders plan their next trip.

For more information about the United States Virgin Islands, go to VisitUSVI.com, follow us on Twitter (@ USVITourism) and become a fan on Facebook

(www.facebook.com/VisitUSVI). When traveling to the U.S. Virgin Islands, U.S. citizens enjoy all the conveniences of domestic travel - including on-line check-in - making travel to the U.S. Virgin Islands easier than ever. As a United States Territory, travel to the U.S. Virgin Islands does not require a passport from U.S. citizens arriving from Puerto Rico or the U.S. mainland. Entry requirements for non-U.S. citizens are the same as for entering the United States from any foreign destination. Upon departure, a passport is required for all but U.S. citizens.

ENDS

###