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In June 2024, Saint Lucia’s tourism industry achieved a major milestone, driven by a surge in visitor numbers and improved air connectivity. The island’s successful hosting of the ICC World Cup Cricket tournament, coupled with improvements in infrastructure, has cemented its position as a top destination for sports tourism.
In June 2024, St. Lucia welcomed 38,394 visitors, a 42% increase compared to the same period last year. The United States, the island’s main market, grew 55% month-on-month, with airline seat capacity increasing 60% compared to June 2023. Major improvements included American Airlines and JetBlue increasing service to meet growing demand from Miami, New York and Charlotte.
The Caribbean market also experienced significant growth, with arrivals up 24% following a 67% increase in seat capacity. The seat increase was driven by increased frequencies from InterCaribbean, expanded service from Barbados from Caribbean Airlines, and new service from Antigua and Dominica from Sunrise Airways.
Arrivals from non-traditional markets increased significantly by 315%, driven by visitors and players from countries such as India, South Africa, Afghanistan, Australia and Sri Lanka visiting to watch ICC matches.
Highlighting the impact of visitor spending and sports tourism on the economy, Minister of Tourism Dr. Ernest Hilaire said: “Saint Lucia’s appeal as a tourist destination, coupled with its world-class infrastructure, makes it an ideal host for major events such as the International Cricket Council World Cup. June 2024 was the fourth consecutive month to record visitor arrivals and the fifth record-breaking month in 2024. This therefore highlights Saint Lucia’s international appeal, which bodes well for the marketing of the destination and the development of the local economy.”
Year-to-date data shows that St. Lucia is up 15% compared to the first half of 2023 and 6% compared to the same period in 2019, indicating continued growth in tourism.
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