(PRESS RELEASE VIA SNO) – The Saint Lucia Tourism Authority is pleased to announce the addition of international flights to the island from the U.S. starting in the Fall 2018 with American Airlines, JetBlue and United Airlines.

JetBlue is expanding its luxury Mint service in the Caribbean and will launch this service on flights from Boston Logan International Airport to Saint Lucia starting November 3, 2018. Also, the airline will resume its Mint service on Saturday flights from New York’s JFK airport to Saint Lucia starting February 2019.

The JetBlue flight will depart Boston’s Logan International Airport at 7:30 a.m. on Saturdays and arrive at the Hewanorra International Airport at 12:19 p.m. Return flights from Saint Lucia will depart at 1:44 p.m. and arrive in Boston at 6:59 p.m. JetBlue’s Mint services offers a completely rethought design and a more personal approach to service, addressing the needs of modern travelers. Passengers can experience a premium cabin with fully lie-flat seats, exceptional hospitality from professionally trained crew members, self-service snack and bottled water areas and more. Four seats in the cabin are private suites with doors and the remaining 12 seats in the cabin are in a 2-2 configuration, each 20.5 inches wide.

Acting CEO at the Saint Lucia Tourism Authority, Mrs. Tiffany Howard said, “The SLTA recognises the importance of airlift to grow the tourism sector, and we have been working hard to get more flights into Saint Lucia. Already, we have had record stayover arrivals this year, and this new JetBlue service, plus the new American Airlines flight from Miami, FL starting in December and United Airline’s service from Chicago in January, will only serve to increase the number of visitors staying over in Saint Lucia. This is great news for us!”

Earlier this year, American Airlines announced that it will add a new daily flight into Saint Lucia from Miami, FL beginning December 19, 2018. That service will leave out of Miami (MIA) at 7:15p.m. and overnight in Saint Lucia for an 8:30a.m return flight from Hewanorra International Airport (UVF) every day, starting December 20, 2018. The new American Airlines service will allow travelers even more flexibility, with the option of an evening flight into Saint Lucia from the US, and an early morning flight out of Saint Lucia.

According to Mrs. Howard, the SLTA is very pleased, but will not stop at those gains. “We are continuing to negotiate additional airlift into Saint Lucia because it is paramount to our success. We will leverage Saint Lucia’s desirability among potential visitors to attract increased air traffic from both our traditional and non-traditional airlines partners, especially out of our major source markets, so we can satisfy the growing demand for destination Saint Lucia,” stated Mrs. Howard.

United Airlines’ Saturday-only flights from Chicago O’Hare will operate starting January 5, 2019 through April 30, 2019.

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(PRESS RELEASE VIA SNO) — Since the revamp of the North American Saint Lucia Expert program in the first quarter of 2018, Saint Lucia has experienced a tremendous growth in its selling power adding over 900 new registrants and 672 new SLEx graduates.

The new program, with its three (3) tier system, awards the top producing travel agents and their agencies based on room nights sold with monthly cash prizes for the agent and marketing credit for the agency.

Another development within the new SLEx program is its official translation into French and Spanish.

“Having the SLEx program translated into French for our Quebec-based agents is huge since there are over 1500 travel agencies in the province of Quebec,” said Rod Hanna, SLTA’s Sales Manager – Trade, Canada.

“Many indicate that the only reason they are not SLEx agents is due to the lack of information in their native language,” Hanna added.

The partnership to provide the translated program also extends to all collateral material, press releases and industry updates marking another key development in the SLTA marketing strategy.

The program is run through industry leader Recommend.com and features a host of multimedia tools offering an engaging learning experience to travel agents while providing them with exclusive access to key destination information and updates.

“We are truly excited about the new format and are elated with its rate of adoption,” stated Richard Moss, SLTA Sales Manager – Trade USA. “SLEx is building a competent, powerful salesforce which we, at the Saint Lucia Tourism Authority, are proud to have to spread the word about the beauty and diversity of our destination.”

The SLEx program has also become a powerful call to action as the SLTA continues its marketplace advancement strategy throughout North America. With every sales call made by marketing agents and at every trade show attended by the SLTA, travel agents are encouraged to become SLEx-certified. The recruitment push has yielded increasing numbers of agents signing up for the program followed by an increase in bookings to the destination.

“North America continues to be our largest market and we are seeing the rewards from all our marketing efforts as we continue to experience increased stay-over and cruise arrivals, with strong forward bookings, reported. We believe that well-informed agents are best able to match their client’s needs to the ideal product. We are pleased to see more travel agents and visitors are selecting Saint Lucia as their destination of choice,” stated Tiffany Howard, Acting CEO of the SLTA.

The Saint Lucia Tourism Authority encourages all travel agents to ‘Gain the Expertise, Earn the Benefits’ with our Saint Lucia Expert program (SLEx) by signing up here: http://edu.recommend.com/saintlucia.

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(PRESS RELEASE VIA SNO) – As the Mango Bowl Regatta committee is busy organizing the event for 2018, the word came in achieving Silver Certification as a Clean Regatta during the 2017 event.

Last year was the first year the Mango Bowl committee took the initiative to join Sailors for the Sea with assistance from Greening the Caribbean in creating a Clean Regatta. Coming out with Silver Certification is definitely worth celebrating.

According to Regatta Director, Mrs. Lily Bergasse, “By participating in this program, we are raising the bar for sustainability; with the help of Greening the Caribbean we are bringing awareness to our participants and our local community of how to reduce waste and help keep our sea clean.”

The Outreach Letter that is sent annually to previous participants as well as other interested organizations had some new steps to help St Lucia’s growing Regatta achieve Gold Status in 2018. One new addition to steps taken last year is to clean boats using water only to reduce the amount of pollutants affecting water quality in harbors.

The Mango Bowl Regatta is St. Lucia’s biggest home-grown sailing spectacle which, this year, is slated for November 30-December 2 in 2018. For the past 7 year at around this time sailors from across the region and abroad have gathered at the St. Lucia Yacht Club in Rodney Bay to compete in various classes of keel boat racing.

Attracting 38 boats from neighboring islands in 2017: Martinique, Barbados, St. Vincent and Grenada (12 more than the year before, we are growing!) Among the various classes, J24/ Surprise, Racing and Cruising, the total number of sailors can reach well over 200.

There is something for everyone! Not only will spectators be able to view the races from the St Lucia Yacht Club, there’s great food and cold drinks available too! Plus nightlife as the prizing giving socials on Saturday and Sunday allow participants and spectators to mix-n-mingle.

Further information including the Notice of Race and updates of regatta events can be found on the St. Lucia Yacht Club Website, (www.stluciayachtclub.com) and the Facebook page or by emailing mangobowlslyc@gmail.com.

Register online by November 16th to be entered into the Mango Bowl Draw for special prizes. You can learn more about Clean Regattas through the Sailors for the Seas website (www.sailorsfortheseas.org).

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(PRESS RELEASE VIA SNO) – Saint Lucia has renewed its relationship with the American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA). ASTA represents over 10,000 travel agencies with over 100,000 travel agents including independents.

The Saint Lucia Tourism Authority’s membership gives it direct access to the ASTA agent database and its learning platform. Earlier in August, ASTA held is global conference in Washington, DC at the Washington Hilton with the SLTA attending the 3-day educational and networking event. The conference featured over 1000 agents from across the United States.

The conference followed one month after the SLTA’s North American Showcase which featured many of the largest Tour operators from Canada and the United States and provided an excellent platform to engage the travel agents. The SLTA was also able to continue its Saint Lucia Expert Program marketing push to travel agents who continue to be a significant source of business for the island providing a high level of cruise and stay-over arrival bookings.

Saint Lucia was among the destinations attending from across the globe, represented by SLTA Sales Manager, Ernie George. Mr. George commented that, “The agents in attendance were all eager to hear what destination Saint Lucia has to offer and about our SLEx program. This was a golden opportunity to address some misconceptions about the island and to provide them with a glimpse into our island paradise – Saint Lucia.”

The Saint Lucia Tourism Authority was able to engage hundreds of agents at the conference and a few hundred more at the Baltimore Wedding Experience held at the Marriott in downtown Baltimore. Mr. George also conducted sales calls while in Washington DC profiting the opportunity to connect with travel agents and surprise some of Saint Lucia’s top sellers.

ASTA is the world’s largest association of travel professionals, whose members include travel advisors, and companies whose products they sell such as tours, cruises, hotels and car rentals. They are also the leading advocate for travel advisors, the travel industry and the traveling public.

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(PRESS RELEASE VIA SNO) – The Saint Lucia Divers Association and the Saint Lucia Tourism Authority are enthusiastic about the 2018 edition of DiveFest, slated for September 10 – 15.

Numerous activities including a dive treasure hunt, lion fish derby, and an underwater photo workshop are on the agenda.

This festival will embrace dive enthusiasts of all skill levels and will showcase just why exploring Saint Lucia’s underwater marine life is a “must do” for any visitor.

In addition to Saint Lucia’s prominence as a romance and family destination, the SLTA is promoting dive as another target market with the island’s twenty-two world class diving sites.

In an effort to showcase careers within the trade, a career showcase for students of Secondary Schools within districts one and two who have a passion for the underwater, will be led by a professional underwater photographer from the U.S.A. along with professional divers from various resort partners and dive shops on island.

Ernie George, SLTA Sales Manager for the USA with responsibility for the Dive niche said; “We are ready to execute this spectacular event, more so, this is a defining product for Saint Lucia’s Dive market. Our aim is to make this festival a staple on our annual calendar of activities and, by extension, grow it to be the best Dive festival in the region.”
Among the resorts participating in DiveFest 2018 are the BodyHoliday – Scuba, Marigot Beach Club & Dive Resort, Island Divers at Ti Kaye Resort & Spa, Eastern Caribbean Divers at Windjammer Landing, Sugar Beach – A Viceroy Resort, Rendezvous, Iyanola Divers and Dive Adventures.

The SLTA will also welcome sixteen participants who are dive shop owners, operators, travel writers and journalists for a familiarization visit to the island as part of the event.

To be part of DiveFest, individuals or groups can register with Barefoot Holidays at operations@barefootholidays.com

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(PRESS RELEASE VIA SNO) – The Laborie Pan project gave Saint Lucians in London a treat last week, with a one-off concert at the Saint Lucia High Commission Thursday (30th August).

The evening event was the climax to a UK visit by representatives of The Laborie Pan Project. The team had been invited to join UK band Mangrove to take part in the Notting Hill Carnival, the world’s second biggest event of its kind.

In Saint Lucia, the Laborie Pan Project provides ongoing support for its community along with music education to members and young people. As such, they held a two-day workshop for children in London to introduce them to playing the Steel Pan. Fifteen children aged 7-16 took part staging a spirited rendition of Teddyson John’s Allez at the evening concert.

The events were organised in association with the Saint Lucia High Commission and the Saint Lucia Tourism Authority to raise the awareness of Steel Pan playing among the children in the Saint Lucia Diaspora in the UK and as a fundraiser for the Laborie Pan Project.

Mr Guy Mayers, the High Commissioner for Saint Lucia in the UK said: “The Laborie Pan Project is much more than just a steel band. They are helping their community whilst keeping the vibrant culture and traditions of Saint Lucia alive and thriving.

By introducing steel pan music to the young Saint Lucians in the UK, they have proved that this evocative sound can bring generations together. I have also been so impressed with the speed that the children here in London learnt how to play. It’s been a great event and thank you to all who attended supported the events.”

More than 120 guests enjoyed the evening’s entertainment and Saint Lucian cuisine, raising over £1000.00 which will go towards the continuing work of the Laborie Pan Project in providing welfare support to the Laborie community and further teaching to young students.

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(PRESS RELEASE VIA SNO) – The Saint Lucia Tourism Authority is working closely with sixteen other public and private sector agencies, brought together to advise on a holistic view of Saint Lucia’s tourism product.

The member agencies assembled for a strategic planning meeting of the Tourism Advisory Committee (TAC) over a 2-day period – August 31 and September 5, 2018 – under the chairmanship of Tourism Minister, Honourable Dominic Fedee.

Saint Lucia, in many ways, is pioneering this kind of inter-agency exchange and working towards the overall management and governance of tourism to improve the inputs and overarching national development goals and objectives.

Minister Fedee noted that, “Developing the island’s tourism product and a competitive tourism industry is a catalyst for sustainable national development. I am really inspired by what I have seen so far as this forum is the greatest exchange of information that I have experienced in the tourism industry.”

This Committee is a multi-stakeholder advisory grouping and comprises both public and private representatives with an interest in bolstering tourism development and management.

Acting Chief Executive Officer and Chief Marketing Officer of the Saint Lucia Tourism Authority, Mrs. Tiffany Howard said, “The meeting of the Tourism Advisory Committee has helped to shape the direction of the Tourism Council. The aim is for the Council to compliment the work of the Saint Lucia Tourism Authority and to ensure that the island’s tourism product continues to grow.”

Among the priorities for the Tourism Advisory Committee are tackling the high cost of airfares to the island; strengthening linkages across the tourism sector; increasing incentives to small businesses; and raising greater awareness of Saint Lucia as a tourism destination.

The plan is for the Tourism Advisory Committee to evolve into the island’s Tourism Council that will act as a sounding board and point of dialogue between the government, statutory bodies and the tourism industry. It will also facilitate partnerships among the public and private sectors, and seek to resolve long standing bottle necks which impede product development and enhancement, while generating consensus on the way forward for the development and management of the tourism sector in Saint Lucia.

The Committee is chaired by the Tourism Minister and includes senior representatives of the Ministry of Tourism; the Saint Lucia Tourism Authority; the Ministry of Finance; the Ministry of Physical Planning; the Ministry of Infrastructure; the Ministry of Transport; the Ministry of Commerce/Business; the Ministry of Economic Planning/Development; the Ministry of Security; the Ministry of Agriculture; the Ministry of Manufacturing Association; Invest Saint Lucia; the Saint Lucia Air & Sea Ports Authority; the National Conservation Authority; the Saint Lucia Hotel and Tourism Association; and the Saint Lucia Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture.

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Virgin Atlantic, as well as Tui and BA, fly to St Lucia

(THE TELEGRAPH) – It has been a project 20 years in the planning with a number of false starts, but a redevelopment of St Lucia’s international airport is finally underway, according to the minister for tourism, Dominic Fedee.

The Hewanorra airport on the Eastern Caribbean island currently operates a single terminal for both domestic and international arrivals and departures and it can get chronically overcrowded on busy weekends. The plans, which will cost in excess of $100 million (£76.7m), include expansion of the existing terminal and construction of a new terminal with state-of-the-art facilities, including air-conditioning, restaurants, shops and executive lounges.

“We have maxed the current capacity of the airport,” says Fedee, “and the expansion project is in keeping with the broader plan to expand the room stock. We want to double the room stock in St Lucia over the next 15 years and a lot of the investment we have in the pipeline suggests that we could have an additional 2,000 rooms in the next eight years, and that would represent nearly a 50 per cent increase on the 4,500 rooms we currently have.”

Sandals has already announced plans to open a fourth property on the island, a six-star resort comprising 350 suites and rooms on 19 acres next to Sandals Grande St Lucian resort in Gros Islet in the North of the Island, which is set to open in December 2019. Fairmont have chosen the area of Choiseul on St Lucia’s southwestern coast to open their second Caribbean resort (their first being the Royal Pavilion in Barbados), which will include 120 rooms and 40 private villas and is scheduled to open in early 2020; while AMResorts, a subsidiary of the US company Apple Leisure Group will bring two of its luxury all-inclusive resort brands to the island the same year, marking its entry into St Lucia.

“St Lucia is transitioning from a three-star destination to a five-star destination,” explains Fedee, “and we need an international airport to support that.”

At the moment St Lucia receives 386,000 passengers annually, with nearly 70,000 of those arrivals from the UK. With the new airport the government hopes to expand this number to more than a million a year.

“Tourism accounts for 65 per cent of our economy. It pays for our roads, our schools, our hospitals. It makes sense for us to nurture this,” says Fedee.

Previous governments have attempted the expansion but have historically struggled to raise the finance. “It’s a very delicate balance to arrange financing for such a mega project for an island the size of St Lucia and this administration has finally achieved it,” says Fedee.

Last year the government implemented a $35 (£27) airport development tax on each arrival, which has been ring-fenced to finance a loan from the Taiwanese government. “The Taiwanese are providing a lot of technical support and we are being guided by their expertise and knowhow,” Fedee explains. The construction of the project is currently out to tender with work scheduled to begin in the first quarter of next year with the aim of being fully operational in the third quarter of 2020.

Judith Milne originally from Worcestershire has lived in St Lucia for three years as managing director of the boutique East Winds Resort. She welcomes news of the expansion and hopes it will put the experience of arriving at the island on a par with that of other larger Caribbean islands. “The new airport will mean a new streamlined experience for international passengers coming to St Lucia,” she says. “The airport currently has one small terminal building and at times of several flights landing at once the queues can be long and take a long time to get through.”

British Airways are one of three UK operators to fly into St Lucia, along with Virgin Atlantic and TUI. “We operate a daily flight from Gatwick to Hewanorra – one of 12 destinations that we fly to in the Caribbean. St Lucia is a popular destination, and our customers love its extraordinary natural beauty, with its lush rainforests and volcanic peaks,” a spokesperson said.

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Royal St. Lucia Resort & Spa

(PRESS RELEASE) — The Royal St. Lucia Resort and Spa has made the TripAdvisor Hall of Fame for the second time in 10 years. This unique accolade is granted to hotels which have won the TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence five years in a row.

The Royal was awarded the TripAdvisor Certificate of Excelllence for 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018, joining a prestigious list of properties worldwide. This is The Royal’s second induction into the TripAdvisor Hall of Fame, having been awarded the Certificate of Excelllence for the 5-year period 2011 – 2015.

TripAdvisor is the world’s leading travel website. The Certificate of Excellence is given to establishments that consistently achieve outstanding traveller reviews. Only the top-performing 10 percent of businesses listed on TripAdvisor receive this prestigious award. To qualify for a Certificate of Excellence, businesses must maintain an overall rating of four or higher, out of a possible five, as reviewed by travellers on TripAdvisor.

General Manager of Royal by Rex Resorts Richard Michelin sees the Hall of Fame award as a testament of the dedication, consistency and commitment of the staff and executive team at The Royal.

The Royal is currently ranked No.1 in the Rex Group of Resorts in the region. Rex Resorts operates hotels in Antigua, Barbados, Grenada, Tobago, and St. Lucia. The Royal has maintained a high rating on Trip Advisor.

Michelin attributed the success of The Royal to the hard work and loyalty of its staff. The Royal continues to build on its reputation of excellent service, exquisite rooms and amenities, and world-class cuisine with its signature CHIC restaurant.

The Royal is located along Reduit Beach (St. Lucia’s longest stretch of white sand beach) with stunning views of Pigeon Island and the turquoise blue waters of the Caribbean Sea, where guests and locals soak in the ambience and the calming waters.

Chic Restaurant

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Just Outside the Village Gate at the Gros Islet Street Party

(PRESS RELEASE) – One of the key factors that has made Sandals Resorts International the World’s Leading All-Inclusive Company for the past 22 years, is its continued investment in the people of the region.

These linkages play an important role in allowing local businesses to thrive and grow; businesses like Superior Tours in Saint Lucia. Recently Island Routes, the exclusive tour company of Sandals, developed a relationship with Superior Tours that will allow Sandals guests on the island to participate in the popular Gros Islet Friday Night street party in growing numbers.

Kim Marius, Manager and Owner of Superior Tours said it was significant to see a company like Sandals commit to allowing its guests to access local events, because it spreads the tourism dollars and allows everyone to benefit, including vendors, transport operators and local business owners.

It also means more business for Superior Tours, a Saint Lucian business that employs up to 50 persons during its peak season, and which also offers tours to several other sites on the island.

At Table and waiting for dinner at the Gros Islet Friday Night Street Party

The Gros Islet Friday Night Street Party is a cultural extravaganza that has been a part of the Saint Lucian tourist product offering for more than three decades. It’s one of the events visitors are always encouraged to attend, for good local food and beverages, good music and an all-round great time.

Enhancements over the years in terms of the service and security mean that more and more hotels feel comfortable in sending their guests to participate in the weekly event.

Ryan Terrier, Vice President of Operations at Island Routes noted that it has matured and improved and its overall presentation remains consistent, so much so that the Gros Islet Friday Night Street Party is offered within the portfolio of Island Routes as a standardized tour for Sandals guests.

“This community based product is the first type of activity in Saint Lucia formulated to grow and give back to the community with local vendor participation. Any Sandals guest can book the Gros Islet Friday Night Street Party, and automatically there is a cash back accrual benefit to the Sandals Foundation, which will go towards the funding of a community project. Saint Lucia provides a platform for us to do this giveback programme and Sandals acts as catalytic effect, as other hotels want to be involved.”

A Crowd enjoying the Gros Islet Street Party

Driven by the Island Routes endorsement and by extension Sandals Resorts, this activity, as a Superior Tours product offering, is beginning to take off. Bar owners, restauranteurs, other vendors and community leaders are looking forward to the benefits that will accrue to the community of Gros Islet through this Sandals Foundation give-back component.

Island Routes is able to do this not just in Saint Lucia, but also through specialized tours such as the Reading Road Trip executed Caribbean-wide; Oistings Express in Barbados and through Mini Routes in Jamaica. These tours keep Sandals guests involved with the communities across the Caribbean.

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(PRESS RELEASE) — The Saint Lucia Tourism Authority has successfully hosted its eighth annual Showcase, 10th-14th September 2018 for more than 150 UK travel industry specialists.

To introduce the programme, the Minister for Tourism, Information and Broadcasting announced the launch of a new National Tourism Advisory Committee, with the aim of creating a common platform for best practice in sustainable tourism for the island.

Saint Lucia is only the second island in the Caribbean region to initiate such a forum with a wide range of 17 stakeholders drawn from private and public sectors such as the Saint Lucia Hotel and Tourism Association, the Royal Saint Lucia Police Force and the Saint Lucia Sea, Air and Port Authority (SLASPA).

Hon. Mr. Dominic Fedee said: “We have brought together the key organisations and departments who contribute to the success of our tourism industry in Saint Lucia. Together, our vision is to create a sustainable and competitive future for our tourism, in a structured manner by reviewing its effectiveness with visitors and impact on our local communities.”

Throughout Saint Lucia Showcase, a series of networking meetings and events took place covering Saint Lucia news, tourism developments and new information on accommodation and excursions. In attendance was a senior delegation from the island of the Minister for Tourism, Information and Broadcasting, Hon. Mr. Dominic Fedee; the new chairman of the SLTA Board Nicholas John and SLTA’s Chief Marketing Officer and Acting Chief Executive Tiffany Howard. Key partners of the SLTA also took part including hotel owners and their UK representatives, airlines and Destination Marketing Companies (DMCs) swapping ideas and updates with travel agents and tour operators.

Tiffany Howard, Acting Chief Executive for the Saint Lucia Tourism Authority said; “We are in a very fortunate position as tourism arrivals from the UK are strong. But we can’t just sit and hope that this continues. We want to thank all our partners and the UK trade for their support and we look forward to continuing to work closely with them to showcase and sell the amazing things you can experience on a holiday in Saint Lucia.”

This year’s Showcase culminated in the 25th Gala Awards dinner at the De Vere Wotton House in Surrey, hosted by TV presenter and Saint Lucian Brit, Angelica Bell. Industry and diaspora guests were in attendance.

The destination has seen a healthy rise in year-to-date arrivals of 10.6% globally (June 2018). Saint Lucia Soleil, the revamped festival series has enjoyed renewed popularity drawing visitors in. The island now offers five events including Food and Rum; Saint Lucia Jazz; Carnival, Roots and Soul and Creole Heritage month.

Most recently the inaugural Mercury Fest is being celebrated as a huge success. Preliminary figures indicate that the event welcomed, at least, 2,288 foreign nationals from Martinique, France, the United States, Trinidad, Dominica, Guadeloupe, the UK, El Salvador and the Dominican Republic, with the highest numbers coming from Martinique. Dominica, France and Guadeloupe also had significant representation at the beach event.

SAINT LUCIA AWARDS 2018
Runners Up & Winners

CATEGORIES

1. Best Digital Representation of Saint Lucia in 2017
Runner up: British Airways
Winner: Caribtours

2. Product Manager of the Year 2017
Runner Up: Josh Peacock, Best at Travel
Winner: Steve Gilchrist, Virgin Holidays

3. Best Use of Social Media for Saint Lucia 2017

Runner Up: Kuoni
Winner: Blue Bay Travel

4. Online Travel Agent with Best Growth to Saint Lucia in 2017
Runner Up: Booking.com
Winner: Expedia

5. Best Growth in Weddings & Honeymoons to Saint Lucia in 2017
Runner Up: Virgin Holidays
Winner: Tropical Sky

6. Luxury Tour Operator with the Best Growth to Saint Lucia in 2017
Runner Up: Kuoni
Winner: Caribtours

7. Best Growth for Small Hotels in Saint Lucia in 2017
Runner Up: Hotels of the Caribbean
Winner: TUI

8. Best Producing Specialist Tour Operator in 2017

Runner Up: Caribtours
Winner: Caribbean Classics

9. Best Hotel Partnership in 2017

Runner Up: Sunswept Resorts
Winner: Sugar Beach, A Viceroy Resort
10. Best Growth to Saint Lucia in 2017
Runner Up: DNATA
Winner: Virgin Holidays

11. Special Recognition Award for Contribution to Destination
Winner: British Airways

12. Best Media Feature
Winner: Oliver Smith, The Daily Telegraph

13. Best Social Media Content
Winner: Twins that Travel (Laura and Claire Jopson)

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Back Row L – R, Ricardo Bethel, Special Projects Coordinator, St. Martin Tourist Office, Eleonore Astier-Petin, General Manager, Belmond La Samanna, Stephane Le Junter, Belmond La Samanna. Front L – R, Valérie Damaseau, 1st Vice President, St. Martin’s Territorial & President, St. Martin Office de Tourism Council, Stéphanie Bessière, Director of Tourism, The Collectivity of St-Martin Tourism, Aida Weinum, Director of Tourism, St. Martin Tourist Office, Suzanne Scantlebery, U.S. Promotional agent, St. Martin Tourist Office.

(PRESS RELEASE) – Valérie Damaseau, the first Vice President of St. Martin’s Territorial Council and President of St. Martin Office de Tourism met with the newly appointed General Manager of Belmond La Samanna, Eleonore Astier-Petin, to discuss and finalize the marketing plan for the re-opening of the luxury resort.

Scheduled for December 10, 2018, Belmond’s La Samanna will open her doors to again offer guests the best of the best in hospitality. The 55-acre property is perched beside one of the most spectacular private beaches in the Caribbean, offering 83 rooms and suites, 8 villas, 3 restaurants, 2 bars, 2 pools, tennis courts, watersports center, fitness center, spa and an events center.

Leading up to the winter season, La Samanna will participate in the travel industry familiarization trip that is being arranged by St. Martin Tourism Director, Aida Weinum with representatives of American Airlines, Expedia and several wholesalers in attendance. The visit is scheduled to take place between November 1st and 5th. The Belmond team will also attend IFTM Top Résa later this month to promote the re-opening of La Samanna and the new offerings the resort will offer.

Vice President Damaseau shared with the Belmond La Samanna team the work the tourism office is doing to attract new visitors and bring back those persons that have visited before. She spoke of the first joint partnership between the French and Dutch tourism offices that was announced earlier this year and charged to synergize on the promotion of the destination.

On behalf of the St. Martin government, she also extended an invitation to the Belmond La Samanna management team to join stakeholder meetings and to participate in the upcoming destination press conferences that will be held Brazil and Argentina.

Looking forward, Damaseau spoke of the SMART Conference that is planned to take place in May 2019. The annual conference is organized by the L’Association des Hoteliers de St. Martin, Saint Martin Tourism Office and in conjunction with the St. Maarten Tourist Bureau and St. Maarten Hospitality & Trade Association, attracts Tour Operators, Travel Agents, Travel Writers, and Event Planners from the US, Canada, Europe, and Latin America. The tradeshow provides a unique opportunity for local and regional hoteliers and activities providers to present their tourism product, network and negotiate prospective business opportunities.

The 1st Vice President used the occasion to update the team on the reopening of the ground floor of the Princess Julianna International Airport, scheduled for the beginning of November 2018, and disclosed that already several North American legacy carriers will reintroduce service to the island for the winter season.

“We are very excited about the forward momentum and growth that is taking place for our island this year. The confirmed reopening of Belmond La Samanna is a significant step in reasserting our position as the destination of choice in the Caribbean. Working closely together with our partners and stakeholders, we are able to leverage our strength and increase our impact in the marketplace and look forward to working with Belmond La Samanna to ensure the successful debut of this new and improved legendary resort” concluded 1st Vice President Damaseau.

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(PRESS RELEASE) – The Second annual Saint Lucia Divefest was hailed an impressive success by dive travel planners and divers alike.

The event took place from September 10-15, 2018 and provided underwater enthusiasts with an in-depth look into the dive product of Saint Lucia. During the festival, the Saint Lucia Tourism Authority hosted 10 dive travel planners, 3 North American dive shop owners and 3 North American journalists.

The group stayed at Windjammer Landing Villa Beach Resort and worked with dive operators Body Holiday, Dive Fair Helen, Eastern Caribbean Divers and Sugar Beach to gain the first-hand experience of the island’s dive product.

Travel agent Julie Gilchrist of Travel Agent Next Door Canada commented, “It was a great opportunity to experience this wonderful destination and everything it has to offer. The diving was spectacular, the service and the people are second to none. I would highly recommend Saint Lucia to anyone, come for the dive, come for the people, come for the experience.”

Speaking on his Saint Lucian dive experience, Stephen Philbrooks underwater photographer and journalist said, “It has been some of the most spectacular underwater scenery I have seen, and I look forward to sharing it with my friends and other divers. This is truly an amazing island.”

The travel planners all shared similar sentiments to Mr. Philbrooksr adding their intention to book large dive groups for the 2019 edition. Divefest is produced in conjunction with the Saint Lucia Divers Association (Abaglo). its primary focus is developing the dive product and niche market interest of the destination. Speaking on the importance of Divefest, Donavan Brown President of Abaglo stated “we are very pleased with the high level of interest and enthusiasm from the travel planners and we look forward to future collaborations to market the island’s dive product.”

As the SLTA continues to promote the niche market of dive, it is preparing for the Diving Equipment & Marketing Association (DEMA) show 2018 from November 14-17 in Las Vegas. DEMA show attracts hundreds of exhibitors and thousands of dive and travel industry professionals from around the world each year. During DEMA the SLTA plans to showcase a recap of Divefest 2018 as part of the marketing effort.

“We understand the beauty and the importance of our marine resource and we are moving ahead to make the most of these opportunities to attract dive enthusiasts to our shores. We hear from divers who have been all over the world that the island has some of the most inspiring and enthralling dive sites they have come across. We are working on marketing the diversity of the destination and we will continue to assist the dive operators on the island.”

Stated Ernie George US – Sales Manager for the Saint Lucia Tourism Authority. The third edition of Divefest is scheduled for September 8 -14, 2019.

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(PRESS RELEASE) – Saint Lucia continues to prove why she is a destination that inspires travelers to visit and explore her beauty and splendor.

Visitors can now enjoy a stress-free vacation while they play and stay at 22 properties on the island that are offering guests a holiday guarantee if their vacation were to be interrupted by adverse weather.

Though Saint Lucia is seldom affected by hurricanes, hotel operators associated with the Saint Lucia Hotel Association and Tourism Association created the holiday guarantee, so visitors could book their vacations with confidence at any time of the year. This unique Holiday Guarantee programme covers cancellations made prior to arrival and if the vacation is cut short because of a hurricane.

The guarantee becomes effective when a hurricane warning is issued by the Saint Lucia Meteorological Service and offers a waiver of cancellation penalties and an opportunity to rebook the vacation.

Acting Chief Executive Officer and Chief Marketing Officer at the Saint Lucia Tourism Authority, Mrs. Tiffany Howard said, “Given the impact of the 2017 hurricane season on the region, it is utterly important that this guarantee remains in effect to assure visitors that Saint Lucia takes pride in its tourism product. While Saint Lucia is rarely affected by hurricanes, this guarantee provide another security blanket to our visitors.”

Hotels offering holiday guarantees include Coco Palm Resort; Rex Resorts; Harmony Marina Suites; Hotel Chocolat; Ti Kaye Resort & Spa; Villa Beach Cottages; Bay Gardens Resorts; Cleopatra Villas; Windjammer Landing Villa Beach Resort; Stonefield Villa Resort; Sugar Beach- A Viceroy Resort; Villa C’est La Vie; Marigot Beach Club; Dive Harmony Marina Suites; St. James Club; Calabash Cove, and Castles in Paradise.

Additional information on the Holiday Travel Guarantee can be obtained via our Saint Lucia Expert Agents or by visiting http://stlucia.org/summer-of-discovery/images/HolidayGuaranteeTerms. Terms and conditions will apply.

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(PRESS RELEASE) – Three of Export Saint Lucia (TEPA)’s clients, namely Meme Bete, Designs by Nadia and Belle Lici Designs, participated in the Mode Accessories Fall show held at the Delta Hotels by Marriott Toronto Airport & Conference Centre, Toronto, Canada during the period August 12th – 14th, 2018.

The event was a nonprofit trade association initiative for trade in the fashion industry.

The Mode Accessories Show was established in 1987 and is held semi-annually (January and August) by organizers Two Plus One Group Inc. The show is Canada’s only trade show devoted to women’s fashion accessories, casual apparel and fashion items. It is the definitive marketplace for retailers to source fashion accessories from wholesalers and importers. Products exhibited range from handbags, jewelry, hats, scarves, hair accessories, sunglasses, belts, watches, hosiery, apparel, beauty products, body fashions, umbrellas, shoes, and other accessories.

Close to 200 exhibitors representing up to 250 companies who are wholesalers, importers or distributors of fashion accessories and apparel items, with 600 plus product lines, presented at this fall show in Toronto.

Saint Lucia’s three (3) participant’s depicted handbags, necklaces, bracelets, ear rings, crochet jewelry and accessories in the allotted space. This show was the first of its kind for Export Saint Lucia and two (2) of the participant, exhibiting in an all accessories trade show. The three participants got positive product reviews and made substantial sales at the event.

The Canadian Market has been of significant importance to Saint Lucia for a number of reasons. The rich and thriving Caribbean Diaspora make it an ideal market to seek trade opportunities. Moreover, the event provided the opportunity for the qualifying exporters to introduce their products and penetrate a market that demands authentic and innovative fashion accessories.

The trade show allowed Export Saint Lucia and its three (3) clients to target and have exchanges principally with buyers from Canada, the USA and other countries, looking for new, innovative and exciting products devoted primarily to women’s fashion and accessories.

The Mode Accessories Fall Show also provided Export Saint Lucia (TEPA) the medium to introduce our Taste of Saint Lucia (TOSL) branding for the creative sectors to the Canadian market.

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All Gala Award Winners – Group Shot

(PRESS RELEASE) – The Saint Lucia Tourism Authority’s UK Showcase provided the ideal preface for many key industry meetings with travel partners and the media.

During the week of September 10 – 14, 2018, Saint Lucia tourism officials headed by Minister of Tourism, Information and Broadcasting, Hon. Dominic Fedee conducted face to face meetings with officials from the Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA). Saint Lucia officials had two update meetings: the first was with ABTA’s head of media, Sean Tipton; and the second, with the organisation’s head of destinations and sustainability, Nikki White. Topics during the meetings included the impact of Brexit on tourism and the growing trends for British holidaymakers such as sustainable tourism.

Speaking on the Importance of the UK visit and showcase Acting Chief Executive Officer and Chief Marketing Officer of the Saint Lucia Tourism Authority, Tiffany Howard stated “the UK is our second largest market and we are encouraged by its continued growth. There is a strong connection with the destination and as trends move toward more authentic experiences we know that our village tourism project will fill that growing demand.”

Saint Lucia also hosted a UK media lunch at Daphne’s, Kensington with twenty-five prominent media houses in attendance including; The Telegraph, The Times, National Geographic, Hello! Magazine and Wisden magazine. Minister Fedee also had an interview with Ben Gardner of Wisden discussing the upcoming English cricket team’s tour of the West Indies in February and March of 2019.

Hon. Fedee also participated in a magazine radio programme on Colourful Radio – one of London’s most popular commercial radio stations for people of colour – focusing on why Britons should visit Saint Lucia. The Telegraph also conducted an interview with the Tourism Minister on the new airport developments. The press was provided with an Island Update, which highlighted recent developments across the tourism sector and gave an outlook on Saint Lucia’s tourism product for 2019.

Latest year-to-date stayover arrivals figures as at July 2018 show the UK market up 7% from 2017. The Saint Lucia tourism contingent also conducted two other important trade sessions. The first was a Meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (M.I.C.E) buyer networking session on Monday, September 10, 2018 where destination officials presented to potential clients and had a chance to have one-on-one interactions. The second trade event was an appreciation dinner with senior airline officials and tour operators on the evening of September 11.

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(PRESS RELEASE) – Saint Lucia’s organic music genre – Dennery Segment – which has taken the globe by storm has featured, prominently, at this year’s Labor Day parade in New York City. The parade was held on September 3 (Labor Day) on Eastern Parkway in Brooklyn.

The Saint Lucia Tourism Authority (SLTA) supported the 16-member group (13 Artistes and 3 Managers) to the tune of over $10,000. In addition to finance, the SLTA provided the team with branded polo’s emblazoned with the SLTA and ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup T20 logos.

The Dennery Segment artistes are on a 7-week tour of the Unites States that has taken them to New York; Connecticut; Philadelphia; and, later, to Miami. The group dominated with the riveting new musical form at the New York Caribbean Carnival Parade which has grown to over a million participants and spectators over the years.

The Dennery Segment took center stage at seven shows in New York including an appearance in Queens on the same stage as Destra Garcia and other international soca stars. The Saint Lucia group also performed at four events in Connecticut from September 14-16, including a Meet and Greet on September 14.

Through this outreach, the group intends to promote the Dennery segment sub-genre further, while developing their unique brand and celebrating Saint Lucia’s rich culture and heritage.

Acting CEO, Mrs. Tiffany Howard.

Acting Chief Executive Officer at the Saint Lucia Tourism Authority, Mrs. Tiffany Howard said “This is a fantastic partnership for the SLTA as our artistes continue to promote Saint Lucia and demonstrate just how dynamic our people are. This music genre has penetrated not just the USA but also Europe and the Caribbean and it continues to attract visitors to our shores from all over the globe.”

Escape Boat Ride – Beachwear Edition in Philadelphia showcased the Saint Lucian artists on September 23. From Philadelphia, they will take the music and their rhythmic, pulsating vibes to Florida where they are expected to take part in the Miami Carnival celebrations from October 1-8.

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(PRESS RELEASE) – The Caribbean’s tourism sector is uniquely important to economic and social life in the region, and the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) will indeed be celebrating World Tourism Day 2018 when it is launched in Budapest, Hungary on September 27.

Apart from the importance of tourism to sustainable development, this World Tourism Day highlights the importance of digital technologies to the sector.

The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) also hails the power of innovation to boost growth for a more sustainable and responsible tourism sector.

Competing, as we do, in a global market, we in the Caribbean are leveraging digital technology to attract visitors and keep them coming, and also transferring those skills to our wider economy.

Digital technology helps us to customize our product, so that discerning travelers can decide what they want to do and what they want to experience.

The internet has fostered our economic growth through tourism by shortening the trip planning and purchase process, bridging the gap between dreams and the decision to book, allowing small operators to show their wares and answer questions, and allowing online bookings and follow-up.

Data-driven marketing and promotion allow suppliers to understand guest preferences so travelers can connect with our people and our destinations even before they land on our shores.

CHTA members are investing heavily in digital technology and we look forward to the upcoming launch of The Rhythm Never Stops marketing campaign as we, along with our partners in the public sector, build our region’s brand and let the world know more about the many exciting and diverse travel choices they can experience today throughout the Caribbean.

As the preeminent private sector travel and tourism association in the Caribbean, we will continue to lead the search for innovative ways to market our destinations and to improve the product and the profitability of the industry.

We welcome World Tourism Day with vibrant Caribbean enthusiasm and pledge our region’s support for, and involvement in, technological innovation.

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(PRESS RELEASE) — Saint Lucia has won the award for the ‘Caribbean’s Leading Honeymoon Destination’ at the 25th annual World Travel Awards.

The award ceremony, which celebrates some of the finest travel brands in the Caribbean and North America, took place at Sandals Montego Bay, Jamaica on September 23, 2018.

This is the ninth time the island’s has won the award in ten years and the win represents Saint Lucia’s fifth consecutive title as ‘Caribbean Leading Honeymoon destination. Saint Lucia is also a nine-time winner of the ‘World Leading Honeymoon Destination’.

“Romance has helped to establish the Saint Lucia brand and continues to be a significant niche market for the destination. This award is a result of the hard work of all our tourism stakeholders and truly is an award for the people of Saint Lucia,” stated Tiffany Howard – Chief Marketing Officer and acting CEO of the Saint Lucia Tourism Authority.

The Destination is also nominated for ‘World Leading Honeymoon Destination 2018’. The grand finale gala awards event, which acknowledges first class excellence of travel brands from across the world, takes place on December 1, 2018 in Lisbon, Portugal.

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(PRESS RELEASE) – It is my pleasure to address the nation on the occasion of World Tourism Day under the theme “Tourism and the Digital Transformation.”

Over the past decade or so we have seen rapid increase in the use of technology in all areas of our lives. Technological advances have led to improvement in areas such as science, medicine, commerce and agriculture. Digital communications and social media have changed the availability and use of information and have served to connect the world in ways previously unseen – our world has become a “global village”. This use of technology and the digital transformation we are witnessing is also leaving its imprint on the tourism industry, a growing and dynamic industry on which, Grenada is highly dependent.

It is now not only possible but widely used, to book experiences without human contact through one’s computer or smartphone. In fact, you can experience a destination or product via virtual or augmented reality without even physically setting foot at the location. Additionally, some organizations are already considering the integration of Artificial Intelligence into their business models.

A digitally transformed tourism sector can improve entrepreneurship, empower local communities, promote the efficient management of resources as well as increase the market share and visibility of any destination. As a nation, we need to better understand the growing economic, societal and environmental impacts of technology and innovation in tourism if the local industry is to enjoy sustained growth. In fact, not only must we understand, but we must engage the use of all available technologies to promote our tourism, to maintain and improve our sustainable practices and to ensure that the industry brings benefits to all our people for an extended time.

I believe there are innovative ideas right here in Pure Grenada, Carriacou and Petite Martinique that are capable of revolutionizing the way our citizens and visitors experience all that this destination has to offer. I encourage citizens to give voice to these ideas. I also wish to encourage tourism enterprises to ensure that they keep abreast of the use of digital transformation to remain competitive. At the destination marketing level, my ministry along with the Grenada Tourism Authority will continue to lead the charge in further tapping into the opportunities provided by digital platforms and technology to ensure the world discovers, explores and shares Pure Grenada, the Spice of the Caribbean.

As citizens, we also have a number of digital social media platforms at our fingertips, including Facebook and Instagram which we know so well. I urge you to use them to share positive experiences about our country with the world, encouraging all to #FollowGrenada. We must pay attention to what we share, knowing that we are sending messages to the world and we need only our best to be seen and experienced. In Grenada, the Tourism industry provides direct and indirect employment for approx. 11,000 people and visitor spend pumps millions into our local economy.

Let’s work together to ensure that these benefits continue for future generations.

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