The Week at the SLHTA, November 23rd, 2012

Ladera Resort has been named the top hotel on St. Lucia by four of the most prestigious publications in the world.

The discriminating and well-traveled readers of Condé Nast Traveler, voted Ladera the top St. Lucia Hotel in the Caribbean in their 2012 Readers’ Choice Awards survey.  The awards were announced in the November issue of the magazine.

UK Condé Nast Traveller, Britain’s own edition of the prestigious magazine, bestowed the number one ranking for a St. Lucia resort upon Ladera. The magazine noted that “This hotel is in one of the most incredible locations in the Caribbean.”

Ladera was also singled out by another influential British publication, Cocotraie Tropical Living & Interior Designmagazine when it received a trio of awards this month.  In addition to being among the winners named in the “Design & Excellence Awards for Best Caribbean Resorts 2012,” Ladera was named the Best Resort in the Caribbean in their “Readers Choice Awards.” In a  third award category, Cocotraie also presented to Ladera its “Recommended Award,” a top honor bestowed by the magazine’s own editors to just two resorts.

In Canada, Ladera became the first Caribbean resort ever featured in the exclusive national publication, Prestige Design Magazine, in its “Best of the Best in the World” annual issue this month.

“We are truly humbled by the amount of press recognition we are receiving this year.” says Olivier Bottois, Vice President of Marketing and Operations. “The awards are a credit to our exceptional St. Lucian team, the training and Ladera’s commitment to delivering the most authentic St. Lucian experience to our guests.

Three Caribbean nations have joined forces to offer an unprecedented Black Friday through Cyber Monday deal that is sure to attract a large audience of US travelers.  Through cooperation between the public and private sectors, the tourism boards and hotel associations of Barbados, St. Lucia and Antigua are offering 20% off virtually any hotel or resort when booked through their official websites.  This is the first time that Caribbean nations are working together in a unified promotion to attract visitors.

Ashwin Kamlani, President of Regatta Travel Solutions pointed out that to combat the negative propensity displayed by customers in planning their vacations, the three Caribbean islands have collerbrated in a way never seen before to attract US Travelers. “I applaud these Destination Marketing Organizations for placing their entire countries on sale.  The US has never seen an offer like this out of the Caribbean in history.”

This will be launch on the morning of Black Friday, until midnight Monday night to get 20% off any participating hotel or resort in all 3 countries when booked on the official DMO or Hotel Association website. Consumers can book on the following sites:

St. Lucia: www.bookstlucianow.com orwww.stlucianow.com;

Barbados: www.bookbarbadosnow.com orwww.visitbarbados.org;

Antigua: www.bookantiguanow.com;

Banking and finance has been a long tradition of the Beviere family but for Carl his destiny was deeply rooted in a different expanse of the professional globe. It was understandably hard for a young Bevier to break away from the family mould but today he is now the General Manager of a five star resort in the land of his birth, St. Lucia.

Beviere left St. Lucia at the age of three when his family migrated to the United Kingdom. His hospitality break came when he was given a job as a chef in a local town restaurant in London on the condition that he started in 15 minutes. Although having no culinary background, Beviere was excited. As an aspiring young chef, who discovered that he was more attuned to tourism, felt the need for some experience in other culinary cultures to complete and make him a more rounded professional.

With a new emerging tourism industry and family members residing on the island, Saint Lucia was the opportune choice. His first job was held at the former Club St. Lucia, but he quickly joined Sandals Halcyon as an Executive Sous Chef and then promoted Executive Chef and again to F&B Manager. After ten years of service, her joined Discovery at Marigot Bay as the Resident Manager. When the opportunity came to return to the Sandals family, Beviere did not hesitate to become the General Manager of Sandals Negril, and then the GM of Sandals Whitehouse, Jamaica.

Beviere’s latest Sandals mission deploys him at the helm of the flagship, Sandals Grande St. Lucian’s Spa and Beach Resort, where he is most proud to assume the keys to the captain’s quarters on home soil.

With the 27th edition of the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers (ARC) to set sail on Sunday, preparations are well underway in Saint Lucia to receive the over two hundred boats expected to cross the finish line in early December.ARC boats will make landfall at the popular Island Global Yachting (IGY) Rodney Bay Marina, after making the 2,700 nautical mile journey from Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. This distance will take the fastest boats around 12 days and family cruisers 18 to 21 days following their start off on November 25.

Deputy Director of Tourism Tracey Warner-Arnold says, “Every boat will be welcomed on arrival (day or night) with much fanfare and treated to a basket of local fruits, chilled beers and rum punches.” This warm Saint Lucian welcome Warner-Arnold says, “Is just the start of the festivities ashore, with the whole community getting involved with the activities planned.”

The 2012 ARC signals Saint Lucia’s 22nd year serving as the finishing line and to commemorate this occasion, several new calendar events have been added on. The ARC brings significant economic and tourism dollars to Saint Lucia every December, and in return provides participating mariners with the perfect Caribbean getaway destination.

The fun starts in Saint Lucia on the day the boats set-off from Gran Canaria with the annual ARC Flotilla.  Annually over fifty boats comprising yachting enthusiasts, the corporate community and sponsors take part in the mock event, which sets sail from the capital Castries to Rodney Bay. The final festivity of ARC 2012 is the awards ceremony on December 21, which rewards the fastest boats and special categories like ‘Spirit of the ARC’.

Presenting sponsors of the ARC are World Cruising Club, IGY Rodney Bay Marina and the Saint Lucia Tourist Board; Platinum sponsor is Digicel St. Lucia Limited; Gold sponsor are Heineken and the Wave; Silver sponsor is SOL EC Limited and Bronze sponsors are Chairman’s Reserve, Bay Walk Mall, Chrystal Clear, LUCELEC, Mega J’s, Columbian Emeralds, Rhythm FM and Rent A Ride.

Source: SLTB

The Ministry of Tourism, Heritage and Creative industries in collaboration with National Initiative to Create Employment (N.I.C.E.) launched two Creative Industries developed programs on St. Cecelia’s Day (Feast of Musicians), yesterday, Thursday, November 22, 2012 at the Castries Waterfront to showcase a concert and sample various national talents in dance, poetry, theatre and music performance. The launch showcase sought to inaugurate the National Performance program and Music Video Stimulus program, both focused squarely on our nation’s Creative human resource.

The overall objective of both programs even beyond generating employment and having a stimulus effect is the establishment of a consistent model for discovery, education, training, refinement and the production of artists and intellectual properties. The goal is to promote a framework able to propel a sustainable economic growth engine, generating royalties for generations, while farming national talent in music, dance, theatre, poetry and film. Also, governments’ subordinate goals including data collection, cultural mapping, codification of artists for export, refinement of product and branding etc. can be channeled through this initiative. N.I.C.E. has been designated as a coordinated funding unit, aiding in the development and implementation of programs and projects of national import, generating employment.

The Chic Restaurant

The Royal by Rex Resort

Thursday 29th November, 2012 @ 12:30 PM

AGENDA

1. Welcome Remarks – Chairman – Mr. Sanovnik Destang

2. Introductions

3. Presentation – Senator Hon. Dr. James Fletcher Minister for Public Service, Sustainable Development, Energy, Science and Technology

4. Presentation – Mr. Victor Emmanuel Business Development Manager – LUCELEC

5. Presentation – Mrs. Christine Wilkinson Energy Consultant

6. Open Discussion – Issues and Concerns – Owner’s and/or Representatives

5. Any Other Business