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Miss Caribbean Tourism Queen
Twenty-two year old Ms. Louise Victor, has continued the St. Lucia domination of the Caribbean Tourism Queen title. Last year, this prestigious title was won by Consuelo Dupal of St. Lucia.
Ms. Louise Victor emerged victorious when she competed over the weekend in St. Kitts. Her triumphant win is more deserving after an unexpected visit to the hospital after suffering with an allergic reaction to the soup at the Opening Ceremony.
The theme for this year’s contest was “Caribbean Beauties Coming Together As One Nation”. Both Miss Caribbean Tourism queens are also graduates of Monroe College.
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Barons’ Awarding Banana Ketchup
Four Caribbean manufacturers were selected for the prestigious Taste 13 awards in ANUGA, the world’s largest and most important trade fair for the Food and Beverage industry. It is hosted in Germany with 6,700 exhibitors from 100 countries. Among those chosen for the Taste 13 Awards is SLHTA’s very own member, Baron Foods Limited for its “Banana Ketchup”.
This year there were over 1200 products that entered the competition and 53 made the final selection. To have 4 brands selected is unprecedented and it is believed by the organizers that all eyes will be on Caribbean Kitchen’s pavilion next week to see how the products stack up against the international competition. The jury’s criteria are originality and quality, as well as impressive marketing ideas or packaging.
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Spend Some Sweet Time with Boucan by Hotel Chocolat
“Cooking with Chef Experience”
*Workshop takes place everyMonday in October from 10am to 12pm
*Prepare a main course and dessert from the famous Boucan menu and learn to incorporate the resort’s roasted cocoa beans as a subtle spice
*Booking Code: CWC
“Chocolate and Rum Pairing”
*Event takes place everyWednesday in October from3pm to 4:30pm
*Using different blends of Caribbean rums from other islands to best suit Boucan’s chocolate range, enjoy the subtle flavor with aged rums and island made Saint Lucian chocolate
*Booking Code: C&R
Cocktail Making
*Class takes place every Fridayin October from 3pm to 4:30pm
*Learn how to make Boucan’s classic signature Cacao Bellini Cocktail with pulp from the cocoa beans or try some more classic mixes that visitors can recreate back home to remind them of the Boucan experience
*Booking Code: CM
“Tree to Bar”
*Tour takes place everyMonday through Friday in October from 9am – 12pm
*Unique to the Rabot Estate, and drawing on their expertise as a chocolatier and as a grower, this is an exclusive opportunity for visitors to discover chocolate like never before
*Start with a walk through the estate’s cocoa groves, selecting ripe cocoa pods to cut from the tree and end with a personal chocolate bar and truffles
*The tour includes all stages from seedling nursery, fermenting room and sun-drying station to grinding, mixing and tasting
*Booking Code: T2B
All classes are priced at $50 for hotel residents and $75 non-residents. Click for more information or to make reservation.
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SLASPA
SLASPA was created out of the merger of the St. Lucia Ports Authority with the Airports Division of the Ministry of Communication and Works. This merger has created a unique position for the island by providing avenues to generate initiatives to maximize the assets held in its name and offer value-added services to its clientele. For more information visit their website at www.slaspa.com…. Complementing Your Every Move.
Snap Shot by SLASPA,
August 2013
HIA Aircraft Movement – 1,062
HIA Passengers (in and out) – 50,492
GFLC Aircraft Movements – 1,713
GFLC Passengers (in and out) – 22, 855
Containers In – 1,164
Containers Out – 1,118
Cruise Calls – 7
Cruise Passengers – 22,962
Ferry Calls – 17
Ferry Passengers (in and out) – 9,495
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Indoor air quality impacts the health and productivity of a building’s occupants; it can contain more pollutants than outside air, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Sources of indoor air pollution include chemical emissions from furniture, carpeting and cleaning products.
For better air quality at your office, use nontoxic cleaning products that won’t harm workers or the environment and select eco-friendly flooring and furniture. Add plants to help filter the air and replenish oxygen; philodendrons, ivies and other shade-loving plants can grow under fluorescent lights and near windows
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Bon Jounen Kweyol
Jounen Kwéyòl is a Saint Lucian festival that celebrates Creole culture. It is held on the last Sunday of October across the entire island, and has been held annually since 1984. On the Sunday of this week, the various towns chosen to host this festival put out the result of their grand preparations; local dishes and foods such as roast breadfruit, Green Fig and Salt Fish (The National Dish of Saint Lucia), plantain, king fish, Manicou, Souse, fried bake and floats, Accra, Paime and a famous dish known as Bouillon. Also local drinks such as Cocoa Tea,Golden Apple Juice, Guava Juice and more.
Apart from the food part, the event is collaborated with kweyol music some of which have been past down to and from many generations. The most widely used instrument besides vocals are the Tambos and are beaten throughout as people speak in the Creole language and have a merry time. Most people commemorate this day by wearing the island’s National Wear such as the Wob Dwiete. Persons who do not want to wear the extreme layers of skirts and dresses make clothing out of special plaid material called Madras which is one of the cloths used in the national wear.
The SLHTA would like to remind you of the host communities for Jounen Kweyol on October 27th, as part of the celebrations for Creole Heritage Month 2013. The Host communities are Mon Repos, Soufriere and Vieux Fort.
Vieux Fort was one of the two host communities for last year’s activities and the community has decided to host Jounen Kweyol again in 2013 because of the overwhelming success in 2012.
The SLHTA encourages members and staff to go out and participate in the Creole Day activities and also wishes all a bon jounen kweyol.
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Fodor’s 100 Hotel Award 2013
Fodor’s, the leading name in travel guides announced their 2012 Fodor’s 100 Hotel Award list. Fodor’s 100 are chosen by Fodor’s editorial team in conjunction with 700 writers all over the world. Over 4,000 nominations were narrowed down to represent the year’s global travel trends. The difference with Fodor’s 100 Hotel list is all hotel are nominated by the expert writers which have been based in the destination and the hotels are not ranked but are selected on the “best in class” and differentiated in eight categories which change yearly. Fodor’s has been round from 1936 and pride themselves on knowing travel and knowing the best hotels.
The selected categories are – Creative Conversions, Blissful Beach Retreats, Local Characters, Sleek City Addresses, Home Suite Homes, Culinary Gems, Exotic Hideaways and Enduring Classics.
Saint Lucia has once again stood as high as our majestic pitons, as we captured three awards by our resorts, thus, making Saint Lucia the highest ranking destination per capita on the list and number one in the Caribbean.
Our SLHTA members captured the following awards; Blissful beach retreats – Sugar Beach, A Viceroy Resort; Home Suite Homes – Cap Maison; Exotic Hideaways – Ladera
Congratulations from the SLHTA on your prestigious recognition.
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Chef’s Administrative Skills Course
Monroe College’s School of Hospitality Management and the Culinary Arts through the Saint Lucia Hotel and Tourism Association (SLHTA) reaches out to Chefs in the Hospitality Industry by offering Administrative Training to boost the competences of Chefs at all levels. On Wednesday, October 23, 2013, ten Chefs from five leading hotels received Certificates of Achievement, marking their completion of a special six weeks Chefs Administrative/Supervisory Skills Course.
The Chefs substituted being in their kitchens during this six week period with sitting in classrooms at Monroe College to enhance their supervisory skills. This training was geared towards helping chefs understand the importance of proper sanitation, safety and hygiene standards and monitoring goods in order to maintain cost control. The Chefs also learned how to organize their kitchen, managing kitchen waste, preparing work schedules, handling and managing stress and how to communicate effectively with kitchen staff.
Executive Vice President of SLHTA, Mr. Noorani Azeez stated, “Both Monroe College and the SLHTA are of the conviction that the true competitiveness of Saint Lucia’s Tourism product lies in the expertise of its human resources. In order for us to maximize the benefits of our Tourism product, we must not fall short to answer the call for the development of our people. We are pleased that to date twenty-seven chefs have successfully participated in the programme and are very hopeful that this year the numbers would double and even triple when other establishments recognize the demanding need to develop the administrative skills in their technical workforce.”
Course leader, Winston Benjamin says, “The purpose of the programme was to enhance the quality of food service delivery. Also, it was to strengthen the chefs’ capacity to cope effectively with staff and food service problems from a managerial perspective.” He noted, “Many chefs have great kitchen and food related skills, but in order to get the best from those whom they supervise and work with they need quality people and supervisory skills.”
SLHTA invites members to participate in this initiative in an effort to improve productivity and further strengthen the skills of your kitchen staff.
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Condé Nast Travler Top 25
The Saint Lucia Hotel and Tourism Association (SLHTA) is please to congratulate our proud member hotels for their dedication and determination to their establishment and our Saint Lucian tourism product. Their hard-work has been recognized by Condé Nast Travler. The Condé Nast Travler is described as the world’s premier travel magazine and consistently features the best hotels and restaurants in the world.
For the Readers Choice Awards, Top 25 Resorts in the Caribbean, #1 (95.7) Jade Mountain, a leap from #3 in 2012; #5 (93.2) Anse Chastanet Resort.
For Top 15 Hotel in the Caribbean, #8 (91.0) Ladera, a leap from #19 in 2012; #10 (90.3) Sugar Beach, #11 (88.6) Cap Maison.
We are very proud of these establishments and are delighted that they are acknowledged by one of the prestigious travel magazines.
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Newly Opened and Ready For You
Saint Lucia’s Coconut Bay Beach Resort & Spa has reopened with a fresh face and an upgraded dining experience after a month long, EC$6.75 million overhaul. The resort now boasts more premium rooms and suites; additional live cooking stations; new furnishings; organic greenhouses; a magic soufflé oven and more.
“We continue to make improvements we know our guests will recognize and appreciate, this year completing an amazing upgrade in just four weeks,” said Mark Adams, CEO of Coconut Bay Beach Resort & Spa. “We doubled the number of Junior Suites and Premium Oceanview rooms to meet demand, particularly for our weddings and honeymooners, and guests will find our range of dining options rival any all-inclusive resort.”
Coconut Bay Beach Resort & Spa offers two worlds in a mile-long oceanfront setting along Saint Lucia’s exotic south coast, minutes from Hewanorra International Airport and the island’s most exciting attractions. The resort features 250 air-conditioned rooms shared between Harmony, the adults-only oasis and the family-friendly Splash wing. Amenities include four restaurants and the Beach Grill, six bars, four pools, fitness center, tennis and basketball courts, a full service salon and oceanfront spa, the island’s largest waterpark, a kite and windsurfing center, paintball facility, supervised Kidz Klub, daily activities, nightly entertainment and themed dinners.
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Saint Lucia Celebrates Chocolate Heritage Month
Saint Lucia has once again celebrated Chocolate Heritage Month in October, recognizing the role cacao and its beloved byproduct chocolate has played in its history. With a number of on-island experiences, the month-long festivities will delve into Saint Lucia’s cacao roots, offering travelers unbeatable island-wide hotel and resort promotions for plenty of chocolaty fun.
Visitors indulged in the island’s rich heritage through specialized plantation tours, available at a variety of locations including the Marquis Estate, Anse Mamin Plantation, Emerald Estate, Morne Coubaril Estate and La Dauphine Estate. The Chocolate Decadence Tour by Island Routes Tours takes guests on a luxury catamaran from Castries port to the Rabot Estate for an all-day tour that includes chocolate making from scratch, and a chocolate infused gourmet meal followed by a leisurely afternoon at the Sulphur Springs’ mud bath.
Travelers can dine on cocoa-inspired dishes dreamed up by leading island chefs and partake in exclusive chocolate spa treatments. Island visitors can follow Saint Lucia’s Chocolate Heritage Trail map at https://www.facebook.com/SaintLuciaTouristBoard, which highlights the island’s sweet spots, including history, key sites and special offers. |
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Sandals ENCORE
An electrified crowd of mostly Sandals team members yearned for more as the curtains came down on the resort-company’s annual Encore talent competition in St. Lucia. The keenly contested showdown proved that Sandals employees are able in more than their day to day responsibilities. Every Sandals, Beaches and Grande Pineapple Island was proficiently represented excepting for Grenada where the resort-company is planning to open its newest creation this winter. Encore participants competed in dance, vocals, modeling and music.
Joel Ryan, Group Entertainment Director of Sandals Resorts International believes that even though Encore is aimed at creating better working synergies between Sandals employees across the islands, the quality of talent on display was superb.
The level of talent was exemplary but in the end the sound of music went to Gemma Flood of Sandals Grande St. Lucian who played an instrumental rendition of Adel’s “Someone like you.” There was a clear winner when Lucy Monerville of Sandals Halcyon in Lucia paraded her national costume in that segment. Josh Mattias and Krystal Reid were declared the king and queen of the catwalk whilst Junior Charles from St. Lucia was the don of the dance floor.
Some of the participants could well evolve into professionals in the entertainment industry as Sandals presented winners in every category a one year placement to further harness and develop their talent.
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SLHTA Linkages Committee
On Tuesday October 22nd, 2013 the first sitting of the SLHTA Linkages Committee was called to order at 10:10 a.m. and chaired by Mr. Bob Hathaway, SLHTA Board Representative for the Yachting and Maritime Sector. The members of this Committee comprise of the 2nd Vice President of the SLHTA, the Board Representative for the Large Properties, the Board Representative for Independent Restaurants and Food & Beverage Suppliers and a representative from Consolidated Foods Ltd. The Agenda crafted for this meeting is as seen below:
AGENDA
- Call to Order and Welcome Remarks- Bob Hathaway – Chairman
- Approval of Terms of Reference
- Suggestions for Representation from non-Tourism Sectors, Agriculture, Manufacturing & Craft in particular.
- Initial Work Programme
- Press Release
- Any Other Business
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SLHTA Membership Development Committee
On Thursday October 22nd, 2013 the first sitting of the SLHTA Membership Development Committee was called to order at 10:41 a.m. and chaired by Mr. Andre Alexander, SLHTA Board Representative At Large for Banks, Professionals, Educational/Training Institutions & Other Allied Members. The members of this Committee comprise of Cheryl Skeete SLHTA, the Board Representative forRepresentative for Small Properties (Small Hotels, Inns, Bed & Breakfast Establishments & Guesthouses, Erwin Louisy, the Board Representative forAirlines, Travel Consultants, Destination Management Companies, Sanovnik Destang Representative for High-End Boutique Hotels and Luxury Villas and corey Devaux from Seaspray Cruises, meeting is as seen below:
AGENDA
- Call to Order and Welcome Remarks- Andre Alexander- Chairman
- Approval of Terms of Reference
- Update on longstanding proposed projects
- Improving the package and offer to new members.
- Identifying projects to facilitate member networking.
- Status of membership certificate , membership discount card
- Trade information
- Proposals for increasing the network opportunities for members
- Discussion on SLHTA Satisfaction survey
- Can the SLHTA Newsletter be used as a tool for driving new members?
- Any other business.
- SLHTA website, SLHTA certificate, SLHTA discount card and the newsletter revisited
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