St. Lucia Reports 10 Percent Increase in Tourist Arrivals in 2010

St. Lucia Reports 10 Percent Increase in Tourist Arrivals in 2010

St. Lucia recorded 305,937 overnight tourists in 2010, a 10 percent increase over 2009 totals and the second best year to date, according to the St. Lucia Tourist Board. The 2010 total is 1 percent below the all-time high recorded in 2006.

The growth was particularly impressive following a series of challenges in 2010, most notably Hurricane Tomas, which severely impacted the island, said Louis Lewis, tourism director.

The U.S. remains St. Lucia’s the largest source market, accounting for 42 percent of arrivals, with the U.K. second at 22 percent, the Caribbean third at 18 percent and Canada fourth at 10 percent. St. Lucia’s cruise business recorded a 4.2 percent decline in 2010, with the 670,043 arrivals.