You can get paid to travel to the US Virgin Islands in 2017

Image:Shutterstock.com/Brodie Stephens Photos

You may not even be aware that the US controls a tiny overseas territory in the Carribean, but the US Virgin Islands has been owned by the United States for one hundred years now(after being purchased from Denmark). And to celebrate the centennial, the Virgin Islands are offering to pay you to visit.

For 2017, visitors who book a vacation package to the Virgin Islands through a participating hotel will receive $300 to use in the islands. Easy booking is available through the official tourism website that will help you pick a hotel and book some fun activities to do on the island.

So what is there to see in the Virgin Islands? Well, if you like sunbathing, the Virgin Islands are home to some of the best beaches in the world. Trunk Bay, for instance, is widely considered to be one of the top five beaches on the entire planet.

Or you can check out some of the shopping and colonial architecture in Charlotte Amalie on the island of St. Thomas, one of the largest of the Virgin Islands. And if you’re into pirate history, you can visit the misattributed Blackbeard’s castle, which is an 18th-century fort constructed on the island that local legend says was used by the famous pirate Blackbeard as a lookout (though this is actually not true).

It makes sense that the local government of the islands would be encouraging people to visit, as tourism is the largest industry in the Virgin Islands by far. But sounds like that can work to your benefit this year.

So, if you’ve ever dreamed of visiting the Caribbean, now just might be your chance. And $300 can go a long way in the Virgin Islands. Book a trip this year and get a little taste of the island life in one of the most beautiful places in the world.