With September and October described as a “slow season” in the tourism industry, seven Saint Lucia Hotel and Tourism Association member hotels, with a total room stock of 1032, will be closed at some point during this period to carry out refurbishments.
SLHTA said in a press release on Thursday that the closures will impact tourism service providers, restaurants, transportation, and tours.
The release noted that layoffs at this time are ‘not unusual’.
On Tuesday, a story in Barbados Today painted a similar picture as more than 200 workers at Sandals Resort in Dover, Christ Church, Barbados, became redundant.
According to the publication, the Barbados Hotel and Tourism Association (BHTA) had moved to allay fears about job security in tourism, describing the layoffs as part of a typical seasonal pattern.
The tone of the BHTA statement was comparable to that of its Saint Lucian counterpart.
SLHTA stated that redundancies reflect the annual downturn in business faced by the wider tourism industry.
“That is pretty standard across the industry at this time of year,” Jason Griffith of the BHTA explained regarding the Barbados situation.
Barbados Today reported that the news of the Sandals Hotel layoffs was first revealed last Friday by Toni Moore, general secretary of the Barbados Workers Union (BWU), to reporters outside Parliament.
Moore spoke ahead of a statement in the Lower Chamber by Minister of Labour, Social Security and the Third Sector Colin Jordan that outlined the minimum rates of pay and conditions of work for employees in the tourism and accommodation sectors.
Here in Saint Lucia, on August 1, 2024, Prime Minister Phillip J Pierre announced the introduction of the island’s first minimum wage to take effect on October 1.
The prime minister warned employers to resist using the measure to lay off workers.
While the SLHTA’s statement stayed clear of the issue, it noted that the organisation was highly encouraged by the strong performance of Saint Lucia’s tourism sector thus far in 2024.
SLHTA’s President Paul Collymore said, “This success highlights the effectiveness of collaboration, and the tourism private sector is grateful for the strong relationship with the Saint Lucia Tourism Authority and the Ministry of Tourism. ”
The SLHTA disclosed that the upcoming “slow season” would see a contraction in airlift and lower occupancy levels.
It added that during this time, contraction in staffing levels and layoffs are not unusual due to low occupancy and temporary closure.
“Despite the fact that the slower season is approaching, there is still much excitement in the industry. With upgrades to existing properties and new investments on the horizon, Saint Lucia’s tourism industry will continue to be enhanced,” Noorani Azeez, CEO of the SLHTA, said.
However, there was no word about how some workers impacted during the slow season will be supported and prepared for the upcoming slow season and its anticipated layoffs..
