Excitement is mounting as the Saint Lucia Tourism Awards (GIMIES) enters its fourth year with the announcement of the top nine finalists for the prestigious People’s Choice Award.
The finalists were selected for their outstanding contributions to visitor experiences, innovation, and community impact, and now advance to the online public voting round. From this group, the three with the most votes will be crowned at this year’s Saint Lucia Tourism Awards ceremony.
Top 9 GIMIES People’s Choice finalists:
- Akim Francis – Chef, Bursting with Flavour aka 5 Star
- Avelyn Joseph – Owner, Happy Nest
- Elver Descartes – Tour Guide, ATV Direct
- Heidi St Clair – Owner, St Clair’s Sitting Services
- Iva La Toya Lewis – Celebrity Make-Up Artist, Glamour Art by Toya
- Kirk Elliot – Community-Based Tourism Entrepreneur, St Lucia by Kirk
- Michel Gaspard – Civil Status Marriage Officer (Freelance)
- Ngugi Lucien – Vegan Chef, Grassrootz Vegan Cuisine
- Shervon Charles – Tour Guide, Unique Stables 758
The People’s Choice Award allows travellers, residents and industry stakeholders to honour individuals who have demonstrated exceptional service and made a lasting impression within the tourism sector.
Tourism Minister Ernest Hilaire said the awards have played a critical role in raising service standards across the industry.
“Since the inception of the Saint Lucia Tourism Awards, the GIMIES, the commitment to ongoing progress and enhancement within the tourism sector has been a driving force behind the event’s annual achievements,” he said.
“This dedication to improvement has fostered a culture where participants notably improve their service, resulting in a noticeable elevation in the quality of nominations each year.”
Judges have also noted significant growth among nominees who were previously unsuccessful, returning this year as stronger contenders – a reflection of the sector’s resilience and its drive to continually raise standards of excellence.
Voting is now open and will close on March 31, 2026. Members of the public are encouraged to follow the official GIMIES Facebook and Instagram pages to cast their votes.
The awards ceremony will be live-streamed on NTN and across the GIMIES social media platforms, with viewers invited to join online viewing parties.
Presenting Partners: Ministry of Tourism, Commerce, Investment, Creative Industries,
Culture and Heritage, Saint Lucia Tourism Authority and Saint Lucia Hospitality and Tourism Association.
Ultra-Premium Partners: St Lucia Times, Saint Lucia Bureau of Standards, Courts Business Solutions, Barbay Ltd, Bank of Saint Lucia, and FLOW
Premium Partners: Invest Saint Lucia, Digicel, Hospitality Credit Union, 1st National Bank, Massy Stores (St Lucia) Ltd, Piton Beer, Saint Lucia Electricity Services Ltd, The CELL, and Republic Bank
Support Partners: UWI Open Campus, Saint Lucia Air & Sea Ports Authority and The Hub
For more information on the GIMIES, visit www.thegimies.org, Facebook @thegimies,
Instagram @the_gimies or email tourismawards@stlucia.org
