Paul Mixon discovered an underserved niche in the tourism market in 1997 and he ran with it.
The travel agent has brought thousands of African-American sailors to the Virgin Islands over 14 years, introducing many of them to the sport and the territory for the first time. But the Black Boaters Summit, as Mr. Mixon called his annual group vacation package, made its final voyage last week, bringing an estimated 270 African-American tourists from the United States to the VI.
This year’s trip also included John Amos, an actor who starred in the 1970s-era television show “Good Times.”
The flotilla of more than two dozen boats finished seven days of touring the territory on Friday. The annual trip promotes the VI as a tourism destination and provides a significant economic boost in the slow season, BVI Tourist Board Chairman Neil Blyden said Tuesday.
See the Aug. 18, 2011 edition for full coverage.