Saint Lucia’s high-profile participation in the Paris Olympics has the potential to boost the country’s marketing and promotion efforts, according to Tourism and Economic Development Minister Dr Ernest Hilaire.
Over the past year, Saint Lucia has gained attention for its sports tourism initiatives, having successfully hosted major global sports events such as the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. The country received positive feedback for its role in hosting the event.
With sprinter Julien Alfred representing Saint Lucia as part of the four-member team at the Paris Olympics, Hilaire believes that this presents a significant opportunity for country marketing and branding.
He highlighted the success of other countries, particularly in the Caribbean, in leveraging their athletes’ achievements for national promotion.
Dr. Hilaire emphasised the global platform that the Olympics provide, stating that the world’s attention on Team Saint Lucia is fantastic for the country.
“You cannot get a bigger stage than the Olympics, and the fact that the entire world (will be) watching Team Saint Lucia, it is fantastic for Saint Lucia,” declared Dr. Hilaire.
He also noted that if Julien performs well in sprint events traditionally dominated by Jamaican and American athletes, it would be a remarkable achievement for Saint Lucia and further elevate the country’s global profile.
Dr. Hilaire asserted that world games provide an ideal platform for country marketing and branding, which has benefited several countries and even the smaller islands. He noted that despite the smaller size of the regional territories and their geographical location, the Caribbean, particularly Jamaica and other isles have thrived due to the athletic prowess of their athletes (track and field).
“And it’s even better when an athlete of yours excels,” he added. “It really gives you massive promotion …so, Saint Lucía’s participation is a major boost for us and putting us on the world stage.”