Saint Lucia hits record stay-over and cruise arrivals in January 2026

Saint Lucia: The country’s tourism sector has experienced significant growth as Saint Lucia records the highest number of stay-over arrivals and cruise passengers in January 2026.

Saint Lucia began 2026 on a positive note as the country records 37,691 stay-over visitor arrivals in January. This information was disclosed by the country’s Tourism Authority, which has shared that the number is the highest ever recorded for the country in that specific month.

Saint Lucia’s Tourism Authority have announced a 4% increase, compared to last year, in the country’s stay-over visitors and a 2% increase over 2024.

Moreover, Saint Lucia’s cruise sector also saw a 10.8% increase over January 2025, reflecting significant growth. The Authority has credited this increase to the three additional port calls, which were key to St. Lucia achieving a record of 150,323 cruise passengers in January 2026.

On February 18, Saint Lucia Tourism Authority took to Facebook and shared this information, writing that the performance underscores Saint Lucia’s “continued strength as a premier cruise destination in the Caribbean.”

Furthermore, the Tourism Authority noted that the increase in performance is due to collective cooperation from the citizens and partners.

“January’s performance is a testament to the resilience of our people, the strength of our tourism partnerships, and the strategic direction we have pursued as a destination.” The Authority further added, “These results are not accidental; they reflect deliberate investment in airlift, community tourism, sustainability, and brand positioning. Most importantly, they demonstrate that Saint Lucia remains one of the Caribbean’s most desirable and competitive destinations.”

Saint Lucia continues to maintain a close relationship with the United Kingdom, an important source market for the island. In their post, the Tourism Authority highlighted the few challenges the market faces and revealed that the Saint Lucia Hospitality and Tourism Association conducted a meeting earlier to discuss different ways the country can strengthen support for the UK market.

“While the UK market continues to face economic headwinds and airlift challenges, we remain actively engaged in strategic conversations with our airline partners to secure improved airlift out of the UK in the near future. The United Kingdom remains a critically important source market for Saint Lucia, and we are committed to strengthening connectivity and rebuilding momentum,” shared the Tourism Authority.