Castries, Saint Lucia: Saint Lucia welcomed three cruise ships named MSC Seaside, Marella Explorer and Wind Surf at the port of Castries on Monday, March 6, 2023. Deputy Prime Minister and Tourism Minister Ernest Hilaire greeted the guests with a remarkable welcome event.
He took to social media and shared glimpses of the flourishing cruise season 2022/23 of Saint Lucia. Ernest Hilaire expressed pleasure in greeting the passengers and the captain of the three ships. He hailed the ships and stated that it marked the beginning of the successful cruise season for the month of March 2023.
The arrival of three cruises created the perfect platform for local vendors to market their products and get the chance to generate income through it. He said that the guests had experienced the beauty and culture of Saint Lucia with the items presented by these vendors.
The ports of Saint Lucia marked the showcase of the art, culture and branded items in front of the cruise passengers. The guests were welcomed with the exciting event organized by the tourism authority of Saint Lucia.
The event featured the performance of the local musicians who displayed the music heritage of Saint Lucia. Ernest Hilaire also brimmed on the music of these musicians and hailed them for their talent. He cited that the local people of Saint Lucia featured huge talents, and this is their duty to display them in front of the world.
While sharing glimpses of the arrival of the three cruises on the port of Castries, Ernest Hilaire named it “Castries Cruise Highlights. He said that the guests onboard MSC Seaside, Mareland Wind Surf were welcomed by the sounds of some of the local musicians on the steps of the Castries Market.
“They also enjoyed walking through the market where our vendors had on display Saint Lucian branded items for purchase, “said the tourism minister.
The glimpses shared by Ernest Hilaire clearly showcased that the guests were enjoying the beauty of the market of the destination where they find everything related to the local heritages of the country. They explore the country through the products of local vendors.
He noted that it is critical that they continue to enhance the local product offerings to visitors while ensuring that Saint Lucians benefit from more of the ‘tourism pie’.
While naming the local product offerings to visitors, Ernest Hilaire referred to it as “Less leakages, More Linkages.”
Saint Lucia is a popular tourist site due to its tropical weather and scenery and its large number of beaches and resorts.
