St. Lucia Unveiled New Ad Blitz at CTC-28

St. Lucia launched a $6.5 million branding campaign, built around the theme and slogan of “You Are So Beautiful,” utilizing the island´s lush natural beauty, coupled with the song made popular by Joe Crocker.

Tourism minister Philip J. Pierre unveiled the campaign´s components at the 28th annual Caribbean Tourism Conference that came to a successful close Wednesday. Ads will appear on TV, on billboards, in consumer and trade publications and as free-standing inserts in key U.S. newspapers.

“This campaign will position St. Lucia as a top-of-mind destination for travelers in the North American market, and will highlight the island´s beauty, people and culture,” Pierre said. “It represents an effort to drive St. Lucia´s brand identification into the marketplace and to give consumers something with which they can identify St. Lucia.”

Visual components include images of St. Lucia´s signature Piton Mountains; various forms of sea life, including a sea turtle and a seahorse; a marina at dusk; a waterfall surrounded by greenery; and children playing on a beach.

One goal of the new campaign, a result of a “long period of discussion and development,” according to Pierre, is “to reengineer the image of St. Lucia as a destination that is second to none.”

In terms of visitor arrivals, Pierre reported that tourism arrivals were up 15.5 percent in 2004 and contributed 13.6 percent of the destination´s gross national product, a figure that could jump to 30 percent in the next few years.

Visitor arrivals through September of this year increased 3 percent, although first-quarter numbers were up 11 percent jump over the same period a year ago.

More than 45 percent of all visitors are from the U.S., with Atlanta emerging as the “new” southern gateway, “thanks to Delta,” Pierre said. The carrier will launch daily nonstop service from Atlanta on December 1.

On the hotel front, several new properties will open in time for the winter season, including Coconut Bay, Discovery at Marigot Bay and Almond Morgan Bay; in addition, Anse Chastanet will add two new rooms at the property. Opening later in 2006 will be Le Paradis and The Landing at Rodney Bay.

“Our government believes in public and private sector cooperation as a key link to the success of all the new ventures,” Mr. Pierre said.