2024 New Year’s Message from SLHTA President Paul Collymore

As we usher in a new year, the Saint Lucia Hospitality and Tourism Association (SLHTA) wishes to extend best wishes to the people of Saint Lucia.

I extend my heartfelt gratitude to all stakeholders, including our esteemed Tourism Service Providers and Accommodation Members, as well as the dedicated public for their unwavering support and commitment to our island’s recovery efforts. The past year posed its fair share of challenges, but it also presented us with new and exciting business prospects. We are profoundly thankful to our valued member investors for consistently believing in our country’s ability to elevate Saint Lucia’s status as a premier luxury Caribbean holiday and business destination.

2024 promises to be an exciting year on many fronts and I look forward to the months ahead with a great sense of optimism. Saint Lucia’s tourism industry is poised for more expansion as various tourism investments, including Secrets St. Lucia Resort & Spa, Cas en Bas Beach Resort, Courtyard by Marriott, Cabot Saint Lucia, Caribbean Jewels Seven Wonders and the GPH Cruise Project, continue to take shape. Excitement is also building for the second installment of the Saint Lucia Tourism Awards, The Gimies, where our hardworking team members and outstanding businesses will be recognized.

This year will be a historic one for the Association as we celebrate our sixtieth anniversary. A number of exciting events and activities will be held to observe this momentous occasion, starting off with our 60th Annual General Meeting in February.

I am extremely proud of the countless ways tourism positively impacted our nation in 2023. Through the Association’s philanthropic arm, the Tourism Enhancement Fund, EC$1.4 million dollars was disbursed to support various programmes across the island. The youth were engaged through After School, Summer and On-The-Job Training Programmes; team members were upskilled through training opportunities in Customer Service, Artificial Intelligence, Lifesaving and Boat Captaining; and the communities of Wilton’s Yard and Grass Street were engaged to position them to benefit from the tourism dollar.

The SLHTA will continue to advocate on our members’ behalf, and we eagerly anticipate further collaboration with local, regional and international partners to realize our strategic business objectives.

On behalf of the Board of Directors, Management and Staff of the SLHTA, I wish all citizens and our cherished visitors a joyous and prosperous 2024.

Paul Collymore
SLHTA President