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Contact:
Primus Hutchinson
Thursday, June 24, 2004 - The St. Lucia Tourist Board has embarked on a
new US Promotional Campaign initiative, providing special incentives for US
visitors to make St. Lucia their holiday destination for the upcoming summer
months.
This new campaign entitled “Great Deal In Paradise - St. Lucia US Fall
Promotion,” is expected to highlight the many programmes and public relation
exercises that the Tourist Board engages in, all in effort to promote and boost
further, St. Lucia’s image as a tourist destination.
Having recognised that over the years, there had been a decrease in tourism
arrivals during the months of August, September and October, Senior Marketing
Officer with the St. Lucia Tourist Board, Denise St. Hilaire said that as a
result, the Board had collaborated with a number of other industry partners to
organise an island-wide promotion, offering the visitors 25 per cent off their
vacation experience.
“And as a result we have received support form 18 hoteliers, five tour companies
offering seven tours, seven restaurants, and four car rental companies”, Ms. St.
Hilaire said, adding that they have all agreed to provide 25 per cent off their
grades and services. The promotion, which was launched in the US in early May,
allows bookings from May through to December 1st, with travels to take place
between the 15th of August and the 15th of December. This is expected to drive
arrivals during the low months in St. Lucia.
According to the Marketing Manager of the St. Lucia Tourist Board, Ian Herman,
the “Great Deal In Paradise” promotion targets four US cities. These are New
York, Atlanta, Philadelphia and Chicago.
“New York primarily, because of the good air lift and the consistency of the
numbers coming out of there”, Mr. Ian Herman stressed, adding, “We have just
introduced the new Delta service out of Atlanta, two flights weekly. This
programme is going to support the air lift out of Atlanta”. He adds further: “In
Philadelphia, we are also serviced by US Airways. This programme is hopefully
going to assist load factor coming out of that area. In Chicago, we’ve just
gotten the news that Apple Vacation is going to introduce year-round flights out
of that city, known as a very affluent community. This programme is certainly
going to support the airlift out of the state of Illinois”.
The Marketing plan involves, Tour Operator Co-op Marketing, Trade and Consumer
Advertising, Billboard Advertising, TV Advertising Campaign, Nationwide Travel
Agent Incentive, and Website Banner Advertising.
An estimated 40,948 visitors are expected on the island as a result of the
“Great Deal in Paradise” campaign, with an increase of just over $17 million.
The estimated revenue during that period is over US$ 727 million dollars.
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