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USVI GRACES THE COVER OF THE 2008 SPORTS ILLUSTRATED
SWIMSUIT ISSUE
~ St. John chosen from dozens of locations world-wide ~

ST. JOHN, U.S. Virgin Islands, February 12, 2008 — For the first time ever, the U.S. Virgin Islands will grace the cover of the 2008 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue. The much anticipated stand-alone edition, which will reach more than 67 million adults in the U.S. alone and is the most widely-read issue of any magazine in the world, hits newsstands nationwide today.

The shoot, which was coordinated by the Department of Tourism and its New York-based public relations firm M Booth & Associates, took place last October throughout St. John, including on-location at Caneel Bay, A Rosewood Resort. SI-favorite Marisa Miller poses on the cover, while inside the magazine readers can enjoy her pictorial, along with those of models Oluchi Onweagba and Melissa Baker, all photographed on St. John by famed fashion photographer Raphael Mazzucco.

“We are honored that out of the most beautiful locations in the world, the editors of Sports Illustrated chose St. John to grace the cover of this year’s swimsuit issue,” states Commissioner of Tourism Beverly Nicholson-Doty. “There is no better way to share the beauty of America’s Caribbean with the world than through the beautiful photographs and eloquent editorial that are featured throughout the magazine.”

An American institution since 1964, the annual SI Swimsuit Issue features some of the world’s most beautiful supermodels posing at spectacular locations around the world. Outside the U.S., the issue is distributed in more than 10 foreign countries including China, Czech Republic, Greece, Mexico, Netherlands, Russia, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain and Taiwan. In addition, an unprecedented collection of more than 1,000 photos and 60 swimsuit video clips from this year’s photo shoots can be seen exclusively online at www.si.com/swimsuit.

For information about the United States Virgin Islands, visit usvitourism.vi. 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.

For more information contact:
Shone Jemmott/Yale Frederiksen
M Booth & Associates
300 Park Avenue South
New York, NY 10010
(212) 481-7000
usviteam@mbooth.com