Anya Whitfield, Officer in Charge at the Saint Lucia Tourism Authority (SLTA), provided an update on visitor arrivals for the year during the Ministry of Tourism, Investment, and Creative Industries’ Tourism Advisory Committee (TAC) Meeting on Thursday.
Whitfield reported that the island has seen a 10% increase in arrivals from January to May 2024 compared to the same period last year. She attributed this growth to improved flight options and successful festivals, particularly the Jazz Festival, which concluded in May.
Expressing satisfaction with these developments, Whitfield noted that the current performance is over 5% higher than the base year of 2019, before the onset of COVID-19. This indicates a growing interest in Saint Lucia as a destination for business, holidays, recreation, and visiting friends and family.
Looking ahead to the festival season, which includes carnival and cricket events, Whitfield projected a positive trend in arrivals for the upcoming quarter (June, July, and August). She highlighted that flights are fully booked for July, with Jet Blue’s new “Double Daily” flights starting on June 13, further increasing airlift capacity.
Whitfield also mentioned that preliminary reviews show a significant influx of visitors during the six ICC Men’s T20 World Cup matches hosted by Saint Lucia. Detailed reports will be provided later. She emphasized that visitors came to support not only the West Indies but also teams from India, Australia, New Zealand, and others.
Earlier this month, the SLTA reported that JetBlue is expanding its daily service from New York to Saint Lucia with a new evening flight from John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK).
“Starting on June 13th, and continuing until July 23rd, this addition marks a significant milestone for both JetBlue and our island,” the SLTA noted in a release. “It highlights our strong partnership and dedication to providing excellent travel options for our visitors. The return flight will depart from Hewanorra International Airport (UVF) at 11:31 p.m., giving our visitors more time to enjoy the destination.”