This includes the yearly Jazz and Arts Festivals as well as other cultural activities.
“From April 30 to May 12, the Saint Lucia Jazz & Arts Festival will captivate audiences with its vibrant celebration of music and culture. Embrace the spirit of revelry as Saint Lucia Carnival takes centre stage from July 1 to 17, promising unforgettable moments of joy and festivity. In October, join us in commemorating Creole Heritage Month, a time to celebrate the unique cultural tapestry that defines Saint Lucia,” Antoine said in a statement to mark the new year.
President of the Saint Lucia Hospitality and Tourism Association (SLHTA), Paul Collymore, says the new resorts constructed this year will increase the tourism output of the country.
“2024 promises to be an exciting year on many fronts and I look forward to the months ahead with a great sense of optimism. Saint Lucia’s tourism industry is poised for more expansion as various tourism investments, including Secrets St. Lucia Resort & Spa, Cas en Bas Beach Resort, Courtyard by Marriott, Cabot Saint Lucia, Caribbean Jewels Seven Wonders and the GPH Cruise Project, continue to take shape,” Collymore explained.
These 6 projects promise to create employment and training opportunities for the nation’s youth. The SLHTA is already offering training programmes for young people through its Tourism Enhancement Fund.
“Through…the Tourism Enhancement Fund, EC$1.4 million dollars was disbursed to support various programmes across the island. The youth were engaged through After School, Summer and On-The-Job Training Programmes; team members were upskilled through training opportunities in Customer Service, Artificial Intelligence, Lifesaving and Boat Captaining; and the communities of Wilton’s Yard and Grass Street were engaged to position them to benefit from the tourism dollar,” Collymore explained.
Both the SLTA and the SLHTA boast the improvements to the sector in 2023. Since the abatement of the COVID-19 pandemic, the sector has resumed its continued growth. The investments are expected to total more than XCD 1 billion.