16th Feb 2022
St Lucia Tourism embraced a total of 199,347 stay-over arrivals, much more than expected in 2021
By SLTA
PRESS RELEASE - The year 2021 welcomed continued efforts by the Government of Saint Lucia towards the sustainable stimulation of the tourism economy. The destination embraced a total of 199,347 stay-over arrivals, surpassing the projections set for the calendar year by the Saint Lucia Tourism Authority (SLTA), by 12%.
During 2021, the destination noted several record-breaking months and an increase in air service from key source markets. This culminated with December ending on a high note, as the destination welcomed just about 30,000 visitors. This represents more than double the recorded arrival figure in December 2020.
Seventy-six percent (76%) of the visitors recorded in the calendar year were from the United States, where the market arrival figure stood at 152,248. The UK contributed 16% with 32,640 arrivals. During the last quarter, the Caribbean and Canada reflected an upward trend, contributing 3% and 2% of visitor arrivals, respectively. Targeted efforts also reflect growth in the wider international areas, with the destination welcoming 3,917 visitors from non-traditional markets.
The Cruise sector resumed in June 2021, and by December 31, the island received over 80,000 cruise visitors. Yachting maintained a positive trajectory for the latter half of the year, and with the recent hosting of the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers (ARC), December received the largest number of arrivals by yacht for the year.
“We celebrate Saint Lucia’s resilience which is at the core of the tourism sector. The growth experienced in 2021 is attributed to data driven, well-performing flights and the reintroduction of services from key markets. The destination was also bestowed four major accolades and ancillary service providers were also awarded. This adds to Saint Lucia’s prominence in the global marketplace and solidifies our mandate of marketing and driving demand for our island”, said Honourable Dr. Ernest Hilaire- Minister for Tourism, Investment, Creative Industries, Culture, and Information.
With Saint Lucia progressing towards a full recovery from the global pandemic, the SLTA notes that for the year, the total number of stay-over arrivals was up 53% from the same period of 2020.
The inaugural ‘ARC January’ has set the tone for more visitor arrivals in 2022 and the Authority is optimistic about projections for the remainder of the year. In July, Saint Lucia Carnival is expected to make a return with the highly anticipated Vaxx Mass. Brand Saint Lucia’s efforts at the ongoing Expo Dubai are promising, as we seek to propel growth from non-traditional markets. In addition, Saint Lucia is currently represented by a four-member delegation at Routes America. This is a critical platform for stimulating the continued recovery of Saint Lucia’s tourism, through a hybrid event that sets a stage for destinations to highlight cost-effective route propositions to airline decision makers, as they look to rebuild networks and reintroduce market capacity.
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