On World Tourism Day, the Saint Lucia Hospitality and Tourism Association (SLHTA) emphasised the importance of the tourism sector to the national economy.
SLHTA President Paul Collymore described tourism’s impact as profound.
“In Saint Lucia, the profound impact of tourism resonates in nearly every household, with over 15,000 individuals directly employed in this sector and an additional 55,000 benefiting indirectly,” Collymore said.
The SLHTA official explained that the organisation is committed to fostering a sustainable and diversified tourism landscape that will benefit all.
Collymore lauded tourism workers for their critical role in Saint Lucia’s success.
In addition, he praised their resilience in surmounting the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Your resilience in navigating the turbulent waters of the pandemic has been nothing short of remarkable,” he said.
World Tourism Day is held annually on September 27.
It marks the anniversary of adopting the Statutes of the Organization in 1970, which paved the way for establishing the United Nations World Tourism Organization.
According to the United Nations, tourism employs one in every ten people on Earth.
The UN says the sector provides livelihoods to millions more, making it one of the world’s most important economic industries.
The SLHTA, Ministry of Tourism, and Saint Lucia Tourism Authority have planned several activities to observe World Tourism Week and Day. Members of the public are encouraged to participate:
Wednesday, September 27: Culinary Showdown- Seasoned vs. Unseasoned: A showcase of talent pairing novice and experienced chefs from 10:00 a.m. at Point Seraphine, Castries.
Thursday, September 28: Blaze-in-Blue- A call to action for the general public to wear blue in solidarity with developing sustainable tourism.
Friday, September 29: National Beach Clean-up- Nationwide effort at environmental conservation and use of resources now and for the future.
This year’s World Tourism Day observances are under the theme ‘Tourism and Green Investments.’
The theme highlights the need for better-targeted investments for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the UN roadmap for a better world by 2030.
Tourism Industry is another form of slavery where st. Lucians are only emplayoed at the lower eschelons of these establishments. People cannot send their children to school on those low wages, take vacations etc. People are working all odd hours with only one day off in the week. F out of here slhta do better
@Raise minimum wage – This is the design across the region. We all promote tourism and sell the same produce to the tourists. We sell Sunshine, craft work, beaches and tours. Now think about it, if the minimum wage is increased in SLU, this means our produce has to increase. It will cost much more for the tourist to buy our produce. Since we are not the only island who sell these produce, the tourist will go to a cheaper destination. This approach will have a negative impact to the industry.
Before we can talk about minimum wage increase, we need to ensure we do not chase the very tourists we need to buy our produce. We need to come together and find a unique produce which is “Made Only in St.Lucia” and we can sell and attract the international and regional tourist. Can you think of any ?
I have not felt, seen or heard the impact in MY household.
What am I missing? Do I have to be a hotel worker to FEEL the impact??