-by Shamiah Grant

As more Guyanese travel for leisure and business, Saint Lucia wants a bigger share of that growing market.

The Saint Lucia Tourism Authority says visitor traffic from Guyana is already increasing, while new opportunities are emerging to market Guyana and Saint Lucia together as complementary Caribbean destinations.

Speaking at a press conference following the launch of the inaugural Saint Lucia Showcase International, Tourism Authority CEO Louis Lewis said Guyana’s expanding economy and growing business community are creating new opportunities for Saint Lucia.

“Over the past year, we’ve seen the number of people coming across from Guyana increase. There’s another growing potential with the business community that Guyana has been able to attract post the discovery of oil. Fortunately for us, we have nice beaches and we are just one hour away from Guyana, so it gives them an opportunity to experience a different tourism product.”

But Saint Lucia is looking beyond simply attracting more Guyanese visitors.

Tourism officials see an opportunity to sell the two countries together, particularly to international travellers looking for different experiences on the same Caribbean trip.

Guyana offers rainforest, wildlife, adventure and high-end eco-tourism, while Saint Lucia brings beaches, resorts, culture and leisure.

And that combination is already being sold in some international markets.

“So, it’s a very promising and it’s a very strong market for us. And we are engaging all our partners to ensure that there is a connectivity between those two countries because that is an ideal condition for us.”

Lewis says stronger connectivity will be critical to unlocking more of that market.

For Saint Lucia, increased traffic from Guyana could mean more business for hotels, restaurants, attractions, tour operators and other businesses that depend on visitor spending.

And for both countries, the emerging twin-destination model could create a new way of selling the Caribbean, combining Guyana’s eco-tourism experience with Saint Lucia’s traditional island getaway.