The islands were claimed by the Danes, who established prosperous plantations, in the 17th century. St. Thomas was also a slave-trading post until 1792. However, by the 19th century a decline in agriculture and in the islands' use as a shipping port decimated the local economy. In 1917, the U.S. government purchased the islands for $25 million. From the 1960s onwards, after the U.S. embargo on Cuba, the islands evolved into a top beach vacation destination.
The islands' white beaches and year-round sunshine attracted more than 2.6 million vacation, cruise and wedding visitors in 2007, according to a U.S. government Business Opportunities Report. There are numerous land and water sports available, including scuba diving and sailing. Other attractions include the Virgin Islands National Park on St. John, local cuisine, shops, galleries and heritage sites.
According to World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) statistics, tourism was estimated to contribute 35.7 percent of the U.S. Virgin Islands' gross domestic product in 2010, and to accounted for 43 percent of total employment. Export earnings from international visitors account for almost one-tenth of the islands' total exports.
