TMR On the Scene: Saint Lucia Targets More Canadian Growth as Arrivals Jump 20%

Saint Lucia is making Canada a priority tourism market, with Canadian arrivals up 20% year-over-year and increased air capacity coming this winter, Tourism Minister Hon. Dr. Ernest Hilaire says.

Speaking during a Canadian market visit, Hilaire said Saint Lucia sees considerable opportunity to build on the growth, arguing that the destination’s evolving tourism product increasingly matches what Canadian travellers are looking for.

“For us, Canada right now is good news. Not just good news, great news,” Hilaire said, noting the 20% increase in Canadian arrivals from January through July.

“We expect to see the Canadian market grow even further.”

That confidence is being supported by additional airlift. During the presentation, tourism officials said Air Canada is increasing Saint Lucia service to four times weekly this winter, while WestJet is moving to three weekly flights.

Hilaire and his delegation met with other airlines during the Canadian visit, including discussions about future opportunities with Air Transat. The goal isn’t simply to add winter capacity, he said, but ultimately to strengthen year-round service. 

Moving Up the Source Market Priority List

Hilaire acknowledged that Canada hasn’t always received the same attention from Saint Lucia as the U.S. and UK markets.

“But we have also decided to make the Canadian market a priority market for us,” he said.

Research conducted by the destination suggests a particularly strong fit between Saint Lucia and Canadian travellers interested in sustainability, culture, heritage and more meaningful travel experiences.

“We believe that the more we tell our story to the Canadian public and potential travellers, the more that you can see that there is a very strong connection with Saint Lucia,” Hilaire said.

He pointed to the island’s French cultural influences, sustainability initiatives and growing emphasis on community tourism.

“We want a very strong emphasis on community tourism and community experiences where communities get a greater share of the tourism pie and have benefits from tourism,” he said.

Those goals have significance well beyond visitor numbers. Tourism accounts for more than 60% of Saint Lucia’s GDP.

“When tourism succeeds, our country succeeds,” Hilaire said. “Children can go to school. Our citizens can get better healthcare. We can build the roads that are needed in the country.”

More Room at the Inn

The Canadian push comes during what Hilaire described as one of Saint Lucia’s strongest periods for tourism investment.

The island expects its accommodation inventory to grow by approximately 2,000 to 3,000 rooms during the next two or three years, he said.

Among the developments highlighted was Secrets St. Lucia Resort & Spa, which opened in 2025 following a major renovation, and the new LifeCo Holistic Wellness Centre, which Hilaire described as the wellness company’s only location in the Western Hemisphere.

Growth isn’t limited to conventional resorts. Hilaire said Saint Lucia is seeing significant investment in villas, homes and other smaller accommodation, including through investment from members of the Saint Lucian diaspora.

That is being paired with a push to create more community-based visitor experiences.

One of the newest attractions is Saint Lucia’s first underwater sculpture park, which Hilaire said depicts the island’s history and is expected to officially open to the public around Nov. 1.

Shaping Tourism Development Through Legislation

Hilaire also detailed an unusual approach Saint Lucia is using to encourage the type of tourism investment it wants.

Under legislation introduced roughly two-and-a-half years ago, developers receive a base level of tax incentives but must meet additional criteria to qualify for greater concessions.

Projects can receive additional incentives for commitments involving areas such as sustainable practices, employee training, compensation and workforce development.

“We kind of changed the whole framework,” Hilaire said.

Rather than simply attracting more rooms, the policy is intended to encourage tourism development that provides broader economic benefits for Saint Lucians.

Running Towards Sports Tourism

Saint Lucia is increasingly using sports as a tourism marketing platform, building on the international profile generated by Olympic 100-metre champion Julien Alfred.

Hilaire said Saint Lucia became the world’s most-searched country in the days immediately following Alfred’s Olympic victory, demonstrating the enormous visibility sport could generate for the small Caribbean nation.

Alfred is now an ambassador for the Saint Lucia Tourism Authority.

The destination has also developed partnerships with major sports organizations including the Toronto Raptors, Toronto Maple Leafs, New York Yankees, Arsenal and Saracens rugby club and is pursuing additional partnerships.

“We’ve been very deliberate in our partnership with sporting franchises as a way of promoting and enhancing our visibility,” Hilaire said.

For the Canadian market, however, the immediate objective is straightforward: capitalize on growing demand, increase air access and make sure more Canadians understand how much Saint Lucia’s tourism offering is changing.

“You’ll see a more active Saint Lucia in the market,” Hilaire said. “We are really going to go all out and tell our story.”