Hot on the heels of a record-breaking 2014, visitor arrivals to Saint Lucia have increased by 14 percent in the first month of 2015. More than 31,500 visitors entered Saint Lucia, the largest number the island has received during the month of January, and sizable advance from the previous record of 28,220 arrivals in January 2005.
The United States and Canada, Saint Lucia’s key source markets, contributed the largest share of growth in January with increases of 32 percent and 24 percent, respectively. Airlift to Saint Lucia has grown overall by 11 percent with the US market accountable for a 38 percent rise in seats and Canada showing a 44 percent increase.
“Certainly, the robust marketing campaigns and targeted promotional activities by the Saint Lucia Tourist Board have contributed to growing awareness of the island and the upsurge in arrivals,” said tourism director Louis Lewis. “The forecast for the year is pointing to a continued upward trend, especially with the recent launch of two new campaigns: Saint Lucia Rocks This Summer and Se Sannou to reach the Diaspora market.”
Saint Lucia Rocks This Summer features free nights and savings of up to 55 percent off room rates. On-island tour operators are offering discounts on a range of activities throughout the island, from cruising through the rain forest on zip lines to exploring colorful coral reefs. There are also special incentives for travel agents to earn free stays.
Meaning “our thing” in Creole, Se Sannou is a dedicated marketing initiative to reach the island’s Diaspora in North America and the United Kingdom. The program is designed to strengthen ties with the Diaspora community as a knowledgeable and valuable resource to showcase the island as a choice vacation destination.
Additional 2015 initiatives include Saint Lucia Carnival celebrated in the months of June and July, Chocolate Heritage Month in August, the annual “Love Elevated, Saint Lucia Wedding Symposium” in September and Health and Wellness month in November.
Totally agree with both comments. However even when tourism figures are up, the majority of these are from cruise ships.
The tourists who fly in almost always stay at all inclusive hotels. Rodney Bay at night is more quiet every year with bars & restaurants closing within months of openening.
Did the respective governments of St Lucia never consider the impact on local vendors & prospective bar/restaurant owners when they grant permission for more & more all inclusive hotels.
As an English ex-pat who has been here for 7 years it is so depressing to see the decline of what should be the island’s premier tourist location.
As an example of the impact on the local economy I was recently at one of the island’s major resorts for lunch . Speaking to a guest who had been to this hotel on four occasions, she admitted that in all that time she had never been outside the hotel. How sad is that.
Though it is like talking to a wall let us go through some reality.
1) When tourism was booming and potential foreign investments in St. Lucia exceeded over US$1 billion prior to the financial meltdown in 2008, the SLP Administration borrowed recklessly, spent like drunker sailors, were poor examples to the youth so that in the end we had no public savings, more debt and a decadent society. If they could not be prudent or forward thinking then are we not surprised that we still catching hell today.
2) We have had no public interventions to really improve Castries, change attitudes or instil a sense of decency in the average St. Lucia citizen. It has been a downward slide from the 1970s and tourism is just one step away from disaster every day. How can we have killings just 1/2 mile away from the cruise ships and continue to do nothing about it.
So much to do, so little time and such poor leadership or morality in this country.
that should be “quit” harassing
Well, good to hear that tourist figures are on the increase from the US and Canada, the diaspora are surely doing their part in promoting the land we love so much, where so ever we may roam:). It does not matter whether we get the props or not all we care about is for the island to be promoted and for the visitors to at least do some spending and support the vendors who have their families to feed, bills/loans to pay, rent, taxes etc. The vendors must try to avoid selling the same items but seek new items, be innovative. And finally, quite harassing the visitors, they do not like it not one bit, those taxi drivers on Jeremy street near La Place Carinage, quite harassing the tourist, be professional, build booths where the tourist walk up and choose whatever trips of their choice, then the rep calls up the taxi driver and load up the visitors on the vehicle, there should be no direct contact between the visitor and the Taxi driver, not until they board the taxi, then he is responsible for the while on the trip and back safely. Everyone has to earn a living but we turn away more by heckling them than having a professional approach.
God bless St. Lucia!