Tourism Minister Dr. Ernest Hilaire has spoken of a bumper Atlantic Rally for Cruisers (ARC) this year while hailing the event’s post COVID-19 rebound.
“The ARC this year will be big, really big. It has rebounded very well after COVID,” Hilaire told reporters on Tuesday.
He spoke as Saint Lucia prepared to welcome the first ARC boats.
One hundred and fifty-six yachts participating in the 38th ARC have departed Gran Canaria bound for Saint Lucia, 2700 nautical miles away.
Dr. Hilaire said the event is important to Saint Lucia.
“It’s an opportunity for the yachting sector to come to the fore. It’s an opportunity for us to put Saint Lucia as a choice destination for yachts,” the Tourism Minister explained.
The ARC yachts should begin arriving in Saint Lucia in late November or early December to a warm welcome from the team in IGY Rodney Bay Marina.
The Tourism Minister said the marina and the Rodney Bay area will come alive with all the yachts coming in.
In addition, Hilaire told reporters that measures are in the pipeline to attract more yachts to Saint Lucia.
“There are some developments that will take place in terms of attracting more yachts to Saint Lucia, but surely, by the time we do our budget announcement, we’ll say some more about this,” the Minister told reporters.
Headline photo: Stock image
Always half truths. Y is the ARC coming to Lucia still news. This been going on for years now. It’s not new
mr hilaire can you put in place something for the marina in marigot bay can get yacts as well? they are complaining that the hotel there is really charging them an arm and a leg to dock and they are forced to go elsewhere