Source: St. Lucia Tourist Board

Contact: Bevan Springer + 1 201 861-2056 bevanspringer@nj.rr.com

CASTRIES, St. Lucia (June 5, 2007) – Starting June 1, 2007, the island of St. Lucia is offering strong savings and Caribbean-Americans are being encouraged to cash in on them.

The “St. Lucia Super Summer Savers” promotion plan, an incentive of the St. Lucia Tourist Board, gives all visitors, including returning Caribbean nationals, an opportunity to enjoy the beauty and splendor of St. Lucia while saving with huge discounts.

Maria Fowell, the island's Director of Tourism, laid out the plan as a red carpet welcome to this population segment who are “critical contributors” to travel and tourism in St. Lucia, especially in the slower summer season. "We place tremendous value on the Caribbean-American community in North America, both as travellers as well as ambassadors,” she said. “This new promotion will put cash back into the pockets of our nationals who are coming home for Carnival or simply to relax over the summer holidays and in the Fall season.”

All visitors are eligible to receive discounts up to 40 percent off at participating hotels and up to 25 percent off tours, attractions, restaurants, golfing, spa and car rentals, while attractive incentives are being offered to the travel agent community. “While we are offering these incentives to all visitors, we are acutely aware that our overseas Caribbean nationals patronize our destination during the summer period to take part in Carnival celebrations, so the timing is perfect," said Fowell, who added that the offers are valid until November 30, 2007.

"We're excited about this promotion and are encouraged by the widespread support we have received from St. Lucia’s business community and the initial interest expressed by the travelling public,” Fowell noted, adding that Senator Allen Chastanet, St. Lucia's Minister of Tourism and Civil Aviation, will share more news about the promotion and the importance of the Caribbean Diaspora during town hall meetings slated for Caribbean Week in New York in June.

Restaurant partners include Scuttlebutts Bar and Grill, Charthouse, Red Snapper, Buzz, Iguana Wanna and Café Rio; while the hotel partners are Villa Beach Cottages; Discovery at Marigot Bay; Bay Gardens Hotel; Bay Gardens Inn; Harmony Suites; Anse Chastanet Resort; Juliette’s Lodge; Mago Estate; Rendezvous Hotel; The Body Holiday at Le Sport; Windjammer Landing Villa Beach Resort; Capri St. Lucia Ltd.; La Haut Plantation; St. Lucian by Rex Resorts; Royal by Rex Resorts; Papillion by Rex Resorts; Village Inn Resort and Spa; Coco Kreole; Coco Palm; Jalousie Plantation; Cotton Bay Village; Almond Smugglers Cove; Almond Morgan Bay; Coconut Bay Resort & Spa; Sandals Halcyon Beach St. Lucia, and Sandals Grande St. Lucian Spa & Beach Resort.

Hackshaw’s Boats, Dive Fair Helen and Sea Spray Cruises are the tour partners, while car rental company participants are Courtesy Car Rentals, Vacation and Corporate Car Rentals, Hertz Rent-A-Car and Avis Rent-A-Car.

Other merchants include Taxi Trading Inc., Access Inc. and Harry Edwards Jewelers. At the J.Q. Charles Rodney Bay Mall, participants are Anju Silvers, Anthony’s Jewellery, Body, Mind & Soul, Family Eye Care Centre, Afri Caribe Arts & Crafts, Fashion Diva, Intimate Secrets, Island Craft Plus, Mother Earth Health Care Centre, Natmed Ltd., Caribbean Lifestyles, New Beginnings, Sunshine Book Store, Valmont Chez-Nous and L’Armoire; while at La Place Carenage, the participants are Pointe Break Store, Anju Silvers, Arts and Crafts and Diamonds International.

For further information, call 1 (888) 4-STLUCIA (in the US), 1 (800) 869-0377 (in Canada) or visit www.stlucia.org, the official website of the St. Lucia Tourist Board.

ABOUT ST. LUCIA

One of the Windward Islands of the West Indies' Lesser Antilles, St. Lucia (pronounced Saint LOO-sha) is halfway down the eastern Caribbean archipelago. The "Helen of the West Indies," St. Lucia is known for its natural beauty and diverse attractions, including the signature Piton Mountains, recently named a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, a tropical rainforest and one of the world's few drive-in volcanoes. Culturally rich offerings include the bustling marketplace in the capital of Castries, a variety of Heritage Tourism sites, quaint fishing villages along the coastline, the annual St. Lucia Jazz festival in May, and in November, the second Food and Rum Festival. St. Lucia's wide range of accommodations include world-class, five-star resorts; all-inclusive resorts; intimate inns and value-oriented properties.