CASTRIES, St. Lucia –The St. Lucia government says the tourism sector is continuing to rebound with the island recovering a significant portion of the United States market amid the effects of the coronavirus (COVID019) pandemic.
The Ministry of Tourism said that visitor arrival data for May 2021 indicates that St. Lucia has recovered 81 per cent of the US market as compared to May 2019. It said that since the island re-opened its borders on June 4, last year, to date, St. Lucia has welcomed over 80,141 visitors.
The ministry said that surpassing 35 per cent visitor arrival projections, the past month noted peaks in arrivals as the destination recorded yet another busy weekend that welcomed more than 3,000 visitors.
American Airlines re-introduced its service from New York’s JFK International Airport to St. Lucia that had been suspended in 2009. The island also welcomed the inaugural nonstop service from Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW).
“With DFW being an award-winning international airport and with an average 4.7 million monthly passengers, the St, Lucia Tourism Authority seized the opportunity to captivate a large audience during high dwell times displaying some of St. Lucia’s most compelling digital and static images as well as branding across the interior and exterior of all four terminals and the jet bridges,” the ministry said.
Tourism Minister Dominic Fedee described the event as “a historic and significant moment for the destination.
“With the advent of more tourism corridors, this means more economic gains that the people of St. Lucia will benefit from. In strategically positioning St. Lucia’s tourism, the SLTA is working assiduously to establish a year-round service”, he added.
