caribbean upbeat tourism
A beach in southern Saint Lucia.
News

Saint Lucia Tourism Just Set Another Visitor Record

By: Caribbean Journal Staff - January 22, 2019 - 4:12 pm

By the Caribbean Journal staff

Saint Lucia’s tourism industry had another record-setting year in 2018, according to a new report from the Saint Lucia Tourism Authority.

The destination reported a total of 1,218,294 visitors in 2018, a 10.2 percent increase over 2017.

The combined total was buoyed by a 13.6 percent increase in cruise passenger arrivals, thanks to the expansion at the Pointe Seraphine cruise berth in Castries.

That coincided with a 26.7 percent increase in yacht arrivals, while stayover arrivals rose by 2.2 percent to 394,780 in the calendar year.

The latter included growth of 4.1 percent in the United States market and 4.9 percent growth in the United Kingdom market, balanced against a 5.9 percent reduction from Canada due in large part due to reduced frequencies on WestJet.

So far, the projections for 2019 look good, officials said, with Virgin Holidays, for example, reporting 27.9 percent growth over last year.

The SLTA is angling for greater growth in 2019, and will continue with its aggressive, targeted marketing campaigns to attract even more visitors to the destination,” the authority said in a statement.

— CJ

Popular Posts antigua long bay

25 Perfect Caribbean Beaches to Add to Your Summer Bucket List

There’s nothing like a Caribbean beach in summer. The crowds thin out, the winds relax, and the islands start breathing in a different way. The beaches you thought you knew feel new again— stretches of sand once packed with winter […]


The 15 Best Hotels in Trinidad and Tobago, From Hidden Eco-Retreats to Luxury Towers

trinidad and tobago hotels where to stay

From Port of Spain to Tobago’s quiet coasts, these are the places to check in now No two Caribbean islands are quite like Trinidad and Tobago—and no two hotels here feel the same. This is a destination of contrast: Carnival […]


This Marriott All-Inclusive Resort Is Coming to Barbados —  And You Can Book It With Points

new brand for the caribbean

Barbados has long been a haven for adults in search of refinement — the kind of place where luxury and culture blend in quiet, confident harmony. Now, that ethos is becoming the foundation of a new resort concept that aims […]


Related Posts cayman canada flights

The Cayman Islands Is Getting Two New Nonstop Flights from Canada

Seven Mile Beach. Camana Bay. Rum Point. Cayman Kai. The East End. The Bluff. The Cayman Islands is filled with memorable spots — and now it’s getting even easier to fly to the tri-island destination. Porter Airlines, the upscale Canadian carrier […]


Americans Are Flocking to These Five Caribbean Islands Right Now, From All-Inclusive Hotspots to Untouched Escapes

antigua beach caribbean islands americans

MIAMI — There’s a quiet shift happening in Caribbean travel — and it’s not all about the usual suspects. While some bigger-name islands continue to draw crowds, a new group of destinations is quietly capturing the imagination of American travelers. […]


Caribbean Photo of the Week: Golden Hour in Turks and Caicos

joshua bennis

It’s the golden hush that settles over the sea, the kind of light that makes you stop and breathe — and remember exactly why you’re here. This week’s Caribbean Photo of the Week captures that perfect moment of stillness just […]