St Lucia Tourism Industry Grow

St Lucia lies at latitude 13 54’ north of the Equator and 60 50’ west. One of the Windward Islands, it is located in the middle of the Eastern Caribbean chain of islands and is approximately 21 miles south of Martinique and 90 miles northwest of Barbados. Castries (population 50,000) is the island’s capital and is situated North-west of the island.

ACTIVITIES

Saint Lucia is undoubtedly ‘simply beautiful. Saint Lucia’s warm, clear waters and numerous spectacular reefs and marine life offer a perfect environment for both beginners and expert divers. Many hotels offer scuba diving facilities (ask about NAUI and PADI) and snorkelling equipment and there are a number of independent dive centres offering short boat dives, night dives and a variety of scuba courses. The Anse Cochon and Anse Chastanet reefs and an old sunken ship are some of the underwater haunts waiting to be explored. Shopping is always a pleasurable experience in Saint Lucia. With well in excess of 100 duty free shops at the newly refurbished La Place Carenage in Castries and Pointe Seraphine at the Castries Waterfront. And since fitness has been fine tuned to a modern art, what is a good holiday without access to fitness centres? Saint Lucia caters for this as well, with several well-equipped gyms, most with aerobics classes offering a range of services from weight training, step and regular aerobics, jazzercise, step, stretch and tone sessions.

ECONOMY

From as far back as the 1900s, Saint Lucia’s economy has been largely dependent on agriculture. Up until the mid-1990s, the most important crop was bananas, the main export accounting for the bulk of the island’s foreign exchange. Internal as well as external factors, however, have impacted severely on the industry and Saint Lucia’s export capacity has waned considerably. Over the years industry has grown tremendously and while the manufacturing sector has shown tremendous potential recording real growth, it is still considered to be a fledgling sector. With the dramatic shift in banana production that has occurred since the mid-Nineties, tourism has developed as the major source of foreign exchange. In terms of employment, tourism provides 51 percent of jobs in Saint Lucia and accounts for 13.2 percent of GDP. While the main sectors of employment are agriculture, tourism-related activities and manufacturing, the construction sector has continued to be a major catalyst for economic growth in Saint Lucia.

HISTORY

Saint Lucia is truly a unique mélange of people, whose roots and culture have evolved from the intermingling of the many different groups of people who have participated in its history. Each has brought different beliefs and traditions, all of which are reflected in the life of the island today. The Caribs and Arawaks, Amerindian peoples indigenous to the Caribbean region are among the first settlers to have contributed to Saint Lucia’s culture. Then the Europeans arrived, primarily the British and the French. African culture was established through the arrival of slaves to work the plantations. Their descendants constitute the largest percentage of the island’s population, and their proud heritage has had an enormous impact on Saint Lucia’s character as a nation. Later the East Indians arrived as indentured workers. Saint Lucia is perhaps most proud of its intellectual accomplishments through its two Nobel Laureates. Sir William Arthur Lewis, Nobel Laureate Economics, 1979. Born in Saint Lucia on 23 January 1915, he passed away on 15 June 1991. The Honourable Derek Walcott, Nobel Laureate Literature, 1992. The Honourable Derek Walcott was born in Saint Lucia on 23 January 1930. In Saint Lucia, 23 January is commemorated as Nobel Laureate Day.

SIGHTSEEING

Castries: The capital city - home to several of Saint Lucia’s historical sights and beautiful architecture, including the uniquely decorated Minor Basilica of the Immaculate Conception and the Central Library. The Derek Walcott Square, named after Saint Lucia’s second Nobel Laureate, Derek Walcott (Nobel Laureate, Literature, 1992), is the perfect spot to relax in or to escape from the tropical sun. Morne Fortune (hill of good luck) is a lovely area to drive through as you head out of town. Overlooking the city of Castries, this beautiful location is full of history, as it was a key battleground during the period of skirmishes over colonial possession of Saint Lucia. Today, the Inniskilling Monument stands as a reminder of those times. Picturesque Marigot Bay: Now a yacht haven and one of Saint Lucia’s most beautiful sites. Along the west coast are the villages of Anse la Raye and Canaries. Further south is the town of Soufriere, the oldest town in Saint Lucia, established by the French in 1746. Midway between Soufriere and Vieux Fort on the southwest coast, is the quaint village of Choiseul which is rich in history, crafts and spectacular views. It is home to a petroglyph carved centuries ago by the island’s early inhabitants. The north of the island is by far the hot-bed of tourism-related activity. Crowning this is Pigeon Island National Landmark, a 40-acre islet connected by causeway to the mainland. There are trails and a number of historical sites. The island also has two secluded beaches and is the major venue of Saint Lucia’s renowned annual Jazz event. You can visit Errard Plantation near the village of Dennery. Or you can visit La Sikwe Historical Sugar Mill & Plantation, bordering the village of Anse la Raye. This 400-acre estate is set in a beautiful botanical garden. Saint Lucia’s largest estate is located just outside of Castries. Marquis Estate is a working plantation and offers insights into the production of Saint Lucia’s present export crops - bananas and copra - as well as the principal crops of previous years - coffee and cocoa. More recently, St. Lucia has been added to the list of World Heritage Sites, with the creation of the Pitons Management Area in the picturesque southern town of Soufriere. Undoubtedly another must see!

EVENTS

There is a lot to do in Saint Lucia, from Carnival and calypso celebrations to world-class tennis tournaments and weekly street parties. For music lovers, especially jazz music lovers, the best time of the year is the annual Saint Lucia Jazz Festival, a musical extravaganza usually held during the first two weeks of May. Over the years, this has attracted some of the world’s very best performers, among them George Benson, Wynton Marsalis and Santana. January: New Year’s Day celebrations are a blast. Take part in the traditional Asou Skwe (in the local Creole), the Masquerade, and Toes/Papa Djab, and get a sneak preview of our colourful history. February: Fun and Festivity continues as Saint Lucians look forward celebrate the anniversary of the country’s independence. Independence for Saint Lucia was achieved in 1979.  April Saint Lucia is predominantly Roman Catholic, therefore, Easter and its traditions are perhaps the most solemn time of year on the religious calendar. Dominant Catholic traditions are most evident, particularly on Good Friday, a day of church services and restraint from festivity. May: Saint Lucia Jazz: Among the premier Jazz music festivals in the world. Main stage events take place at the Pigeon island National Landmark. June: The religious aspect is evident in this month were Whit Monday and Corpus Christi are celebrated by the majority, who are Roman Catholics.  July: Carnival is a glorious cultural event, which explodes with colour and pageantry and local music – and only the strong survive... August: The La Rose Festival takes place, one of two flower festivals that have been celebrated here for more than two centuries. September: The La Margarite Festival takes place, the second of the two festivals, both of which evolved as social commentaries of a turbulent time in our past.   October: The entire month is dedicated to the celebration of our Creole heritage, and culminates with Jounen Kweyol. While over the years Creole has undergone some deterioration, efforts have been made to restore the language and, island-wide, there is a mass celebration of all things Creole, from food to clothing and other items of culture and folklore. November/December: The Atlantic Rally for Cruisers (ARC): This is the greatest sailing event that begins in Las Palmas and ends right here in this beautiful haven. About 250 yachts converge in December for a celebration after the crossing. December: National Day celebrations lead up to the Christmas holidays. Any time is a good time to visit Saint Lucia.