Castries, Saint Lucia: The Curtains came down on the 2022 edition of the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers on December 17 with live cultural entertainment and loud cheers when prizes were officially presented to the brave yachties who journeyed from Las Palmas on November 20.
The 2022 edition of the ARC began welcoming vessels to the IGY Rodney Bay Marina on December 5 and marking the 37th hosting of the event and its 33rd year in Saint Lucia. This year’s rally welcomes 137 vessels and approximately 800 crew members, including 24 children. The stories of their voyage are heartwarming and reflect the spirit of humanity and togetherness.
The night ended on an emotional note with the announcement of the retirement of the Director of the World Cruising Club, Andrew Bishop. Andrew has been a champion for the ARC from its inception and has played an integral role in the development of the yachting sector in Saint Lucia.
Through his leadership, the ARC has grown to include ARC January and World ARC of which Saint Lucia is home. Overall, the ARC generates a significant economic impact on the local population.
The Saint Lucia Tourism Authority earlier this year recognized Andrew at the UK Showcase in London, for his unwavering commitment to growing the ARC into a successful race and tourism opportunity for Saint Lucia.
Andrew’s contribution will live on through his successors and his behind-the-scenes contribution to the product.
2022 ARC Awards Ceremony, honouring the brave men, women, and children who undertook the phenomenal feat, of crossing the Atlantic from Las Palmas to IGY Rodney Bay Marina
Earlier, December 18 marks one year since the return of service with Virgin Atlantic after ceasing operation for a 21-month period. Her return was celebrated as another step forward in servicing the industry amid the uncertainties of the pandemic.
She has since contributed to the rebound of the UK market and serves as another option to the destination alongside British Airways and TUI. Currently, Virgin Atlantic services Saint Lucia with three weekly flights (Mon, Wed, Fri) from London Heathrow.
The 2022/ 23 cruise tourism season is reaping the rewards of a targeted approach towards the amplifying of the maritime sector and its offerings. Another cruise line has added yet another vessel to its Saint Lucia Itinerary as of December 11.
Saint Lucia has always remained an ideal location for visitors, which was specified by Travel Weekly.
Travel Weekly honoured the winners of its 20th annual Readers’ Choice Awards on December 14, naming Saint Lucia as the ‘Best Caribbean Destination’ for 2022.
The awards represent what Travel Weekly’s audience of travel advisors considers the best of the best in 82 categories of travel.
An open ballot phase of the voting was conducted during the summer, and readers were invited to write in the names of any company they believed best exemplified a particular category. The leading vote recipients were identified as finalists, and a second round of voting on those names took place in the fall.
