April 2, 2004 – Crucians gave a royal welcome on Friday evening to more than 200 Danes arriving on the inaugural charter flight of 10 planned from Denmark. The usually quiet Henry E. Rohlsen Airport became a hub of activity as the visitors were met with quelbe music, Cruzan rum punches and greetings from a host of dignitaries.
The charter excursions, which are to arrive every two weeks for 10 months — with a six-week break during the height of hurricane season, are expected to bring more than 2,000 travelers to the former Danish West Indies.
"I'm very excited," Lt. Gov. Vargrave Richards, on hand to extend an official welcome, said. "This is a coup for the Virgin islands, especially St. Croix."
Richards was instrumental in paving the way for Danish West Indies Travel to promote the flights from Copenhagen to St. Croix through a public/private partnership with the Tourism Department and Torben Eirby of Rejsebureauet Dansk Vestindien.
"Fantastic!" was the pronouncement of St. Croix Administrator Gregory Francis, also at the airport to greet the Danes. "This is the first time in a long time there has been such a big crowd at this airport," he said. "We look forward to many more to come."
Thorkil and Charlotte Hasse were excited to be on St. Croix after their nine-hour flight. Accompanied by their sons Christer, 30, and Casper, 33, they waited patiently as their luggage was loaded into a taxi that would take them to the Buccaneer Hotel.
"It's hot," Charlotte Hasse said, seeming not at all disappointed.
"This is our second visit to St. Croix," her husband said. "We just want to enjoy your island the way you do — take it easy."
"Yea, slo, mon," Christer said.
Andrew Skov arrived on St. Croix with a party of 13. "My wife and I, our three children, my sister, her husband, their three children and our parents — it's a family holiday," he said. The group is looking forward to spending time at the beach, shopping and playing golf.
Dozens of taxis lined up to transport the Danes to 11 hotels and inns around St. Croix. Seventy-five of the visitors will spend a week on St. Thomas and St. John, then return to St. Croix for their second week in the islands.
More than 2,000 seats have been sold for the upcoming charter flights, ensuring that the local hospitality sector should experience one of the more prosperous tourist seasons of recent years.
Earl Powell, manager of the King Christian Hotel in Christiansted, said his establishment is almost fully booked. He said he has been advertising in Denmark and in fact went there twice promoting the hotel. "It was exciting to be in Denmark and see all the people lining up to make reservations," he said.
Several other V.I. hotel representatives also went to Copenhagen for the same purpose, he said. "I have to thank Vargrave Richards for this great event," he added.
Julia Renfroe, president of the Christiansted Restaurant and Retail Association, was elated at the arrival of the Danes. "This is going to be a great thing for St. Croix;" she said. "This is going to boost our season."
The association distributed 200 Danish flags to business in Frederiksted and Christiansted, she said, and also hung a banner in each town reading "Welcome to St. Croix" in Danish.
Surveying the crowd, Wayne James, local historian and entrepreneur, said that with all the activity, the airport "finally looks like it's supposed to." But he cautioned that there must be a sustained effort in order to entice the Danish visitors to return for future visits.
"We must treat the visitors so well that they will tell people to come back next year," he said. "That will be the ultimate success."
A reception at Government House on Saturday is one of the activities planned for the inaugural group of visitors.
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