PRESS RELEASE – ONE of the key factors that’s 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.
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.”
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. (SRI)