Americans Are Flocking to the Island of St Lucia Right Now
Maybe it’s the scenery. Or perhaps it’s the hiking. Or the rainforests. Or the island’s stunning resorts.
But one thing is clear: Americans are falling in love with St Lucia again, with US travel to the Eastern Caribbean island continuing to surge in 2024, officials told Caribbean Journal.
Overall, tourism to St Lucia seems to be booming right now, and American travelers are the dominant source market — and a growing demographic.
In August alone, the US market accounted for 54 percent of all arrivals to the island, a 44 percent jump over the same period last year.
Officials told CJ that the expansion was largely driven by American Airlines’ increase in service, both from the Charlotte and Miami markets. The US market is set for another boost in a few months, when American launches a new nonstop route between New York’s John F Kennedy International Airport and St Lucia. That service is set for a Dec. 7 debut, as we previously reported.
St Lucia also got a big boost in the recent Olympics, when Julien Alfred won the island’s first-ever gold medal — providing significant exposure for the destination — something it hopes to capitalize on with the announcement that Alfred would be its newest tourism ambassador.
The island, which just named a new tourism CEO with the return of former top executive Louis Lewis, is also seeing a boost from within the Caribbean market, with a nearly 30 percent increase and new flights from carriers like Sunrise Airways and InterCaribbean.
Also in the pipeline? A major new Secrets-branded all-inclusive resort, which is slated to open its doors in June as part of Hyatt’s increasingly popular Inclusive Collection. It will be the second Hyatt-portfolio all-inclusive resort on the island, joining the existing Zoetry Marigot Bay.
If you’re planning a trip to the island, we have several resorts we recommend strongly right now.
For an ultra-luxe getaway or a honeymoon, Jade Mountain still reigns supreme, for its magnificent “sanctuaries,” replete with infinity pools in view of the Pitons, impeccable service and some rather good food, too.
We’ve also stayed recently at the wonderful Bay Gardens portfolio, a family-run collection of exceptionally-managed, authentic resorts in the Rodney Bay area. We love the Bay Gardens Beach Resort for its prime perch on Reduit Beach (a stretch of sand we’ve called the best in Saint Lucia) and Bay Gardens’ boutique villa resort, Water’s Edge.
Even better? Next year, Bay Gardens is planning to unveil another resort, with the planned opening of the Sapphire Sands Villas, a luxury villa resort.
— CJ
