TOURISM Minister Dr Ernest Hilaire claims that the hospitality sector is undergoing considerable expansion, especially due to the current cruise season and its enormous economic influence.
A Saint Lucian delegation recently attended the World Travel Market event in London, acknowledged as one of the greatest tourist trade exhibitions worldwide.
Julien Alfred, the recently appointed Tourism Ambassador of Saint Lucia and Olympic gold winner, played a significant role in the presentations. She actively collaborated with principal stakeholders in the sector and toured schools in London, engaging with pupils of Saint Lucian heritage.
The delegation visited New Orleans to foster synergy and reciprocal links with city leaders, emphasising the historical and cultural similarities between the two locales.
cord,” Dr. Hilaire boldly claimed as he delivered updates on the cruise season, at a pre-cabinet meeting, on Monday.
“By the end of December, we anticipate over 800,000 travellers visiting the island,” he said. Furthermore, the minister stated that this cruise season, running from October to May, is set to be the most successful to date, both in terms of the number of ships docking and the total number of visitors.
“This year will undoubtedly be excellent,” Dr Hilaire said.
Officials from Carnival Cruise Corporation, the parent company of Carnival Cruise Lines, convened with Saint Lucia’s tourism and port officials on Saturday, November 16. This gathering facilitated a comprehensive examination of the island’s future tourism initiatives.
The inaugural conference facilitated the Ministry of Tourism, Global Port Holdings Ltd., and the Saint Lucia Air and Sea Port Authority (SLASPA) to unveil their ambitious strategies for augmenting the island’s tourism offers.
Subsequent to the discussion, the Carnival Cruise Corporation team received a comprehensive tour of Port Castries.
Personnel from the Ministry of Tourism are confident that cruise line operators will encounter the enhanced Port Castries, a component of the GPH Waterfront Redevelopment Project, during their next visit.