The Canadian trade got a taste of Carnival last week as Saint Lucia tourism came calling for the first time since the pandemic. The real event takes place July 7-19 and the island’s tourism chief hoped to give a small sampling of what visitors from this country – and indeed the world – have been missing while COVID ran riot.

That included island music, food, rum cocktails, a pair of colourfully costumed Carnivallers, and some tempting island videos, all accompanied by a mini trade show on the top floor of Toronto’s Hotel X.

“We’re ready for you,” said Lorine Charles-St. Jules, who took the reigns as CEO of the Saint Lucia Tourism Authority on Feb. 1. “We’ve been ready, we’ve been preparing.”

Charles-St. Jules also thanked the trade for patience during the pandemic. “Thank you for sitting through the Zoom sessions with us – over and over and over,” she smiled.

But now it’s time for the real thing, she added, with a busy summer agenda on the island, including but also beyond Carnival.

To that end, Charles-St. Jules introduced the “Summer St. Lucia” program, which provides savings of up to 60% off over 20 select hotels and excursions from horseback riding to chocolate tastings, through Sept. 30.

Big news for 2023, she revealed, is the return of the renowned Saint Lucia Jazz Festival, May 5-14.

The SLTA CEO also noted new “Seamless St. Lucia,” protocols, designed to make travel to the island easy for visitors, including (since April 2) the removal of all pre-entry COVID testing requirements for fully vaccinated travellers.

Before the pandemic, approximately 40,000 Canadians visited the West Indies island, benefitting from direct air service from Air Canada, WestJet, and Sunwing, all of whom are back for 2022 (AC is returning in October). Meanwhile, major upgrades to the airport are projected to be complete by 2024.

And as Canadians return to Saint Lucia (currently 6% of all visitors are from this country), they will find several new or upgraded hotels open or on the way, including new Dreams and Secrets resorts, and a Grand Hyatt in 2023.

At the same time, Charles-St. Jules touted the island’s vast array of smaller accommodation properties, which are featured int the new Collection de Pépites program, launched by the SLTA.

It showcases 400-plus smaller accommodation properties in Saint Lucia, featuring a broad range of one-of-a-kind island jewels, including local B&Bs, boutiques, inns and luxury villas. The name originates in the island’s French heritage and means a collection of small pieces or nuggets of gold.

The aim is to introduce travellers to properties that have 35 rooms or fewer, which may not be as well-known as the island’s larger hotels and resorts, and which offer distinct opportunities for visitors to discover culture, culinary and wellness experiences within intimate accommodations.

The Collection has a dedicated page on the stlucia.org website, which naturally offers a wide range of further information on the island.