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CASTRIES, St. Lucia, February 22, 2018 (CMC) – St. Lucia achieved a record-breaking performance in tourism arrivals during 2017, with total visitor arrivals climbing to an all-time high of 1,105,541.
Figures, released by the Caribbean Tourism Organisation (CTO), reveal that the island also recorded the highest growth in 2017 among the CTO member countries, registering an 11 percent increase.
For St. Lucia, 2017 was characterized by sustained growth in the industry, with stay-over arrivals at 386,127 and the cruise sector recording a 14 percent increase, reaching 669,217, an additional 81,264 visitors, despite the 8-month closure of the Pointe Seraphine Berth 1.
Commenting on the figures, Minister of Tourism, Information and Broadcasting, Dominic Fedee, said the tourism industry continues to be an incredibly important and vital part of the St. Lucian economy.
“We are happy with the levels of growth witnessed, and as we continue our marketing efforts. We, as well, look to maximizing the impact of tourism on our economy,” he revealed.
The Tourism Minister said the St. Lucia Tourism Authority worked, assiduously, with the CTO and trade partners to overcome the indirect challenges faced by Hurricanes Irma and Maria, ensuring all markets that the destination was safe and available for travel.
At the close of 2017, the Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA) in Travel Trends Report for 2018 — the most important document issued in the UK travel industry — selected St. Lucia as one of the top 12 destinations for 2018.
