OECS Says US Travel Advisory Against Saint Lucia, Other Member States 'Concerning'

While we have been able to manage the pandemic in the OECS with case fatality rates and cases per population rates lower than the global average, we continue to be disproportionately affected by the economic fallout of COVID, due to our highly tourism-dependent economies.

This is further compounded by the inequitable distribution of vaccines globally. While the United States boasts that 60% of the population have received at least one dose of the vaccine, in the Eastern Caribbean we have only been able to cover about 22% of the eligible population with the first dose...READ MORE
Royal Caribbean: ‘Good Demand’ on Caribbean Service Resumption

While cruises from the United States are still out question for the time being, the company will homeport ships in the Bahamas and Bermuda starting in June.

“We are not trying to circumvent the No Sail Order from the CDC. Over the past few months, we’ve been in very constant and regular conversations with them, and I really believe we are on a very positive path, primarily because of the vaccinations,” Royal Caribbean International’s President and CEO Michael Bayley said, speaking at a Caribbean Tourism Organization event held on April 28.

Later in the year, a third ship will start service from Barbados, offering week-long cruises to the Southern Caribbean and the ABC Islands.

According to Bayley, those initiatives are part of a major restart program that includes vessels sailing not only in North America, but also in Mediterranean and Asia.

“All of those ships have been doing very well. There has been good demand. We fell encouraged by the bookings that we are seeing,” Bayley revealed...READ MORE
The EU Commission has recommended easing restrictions on non-essential travel from overseas.

Under the plans, anyone who has received the last dose of an EU-approved vaccine at least two weeks beforehand will be permitted to travel.

"Time to revive EU tourism industry and for cross-border friendships to rekindle - safely," EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen tweeted.

The EU currently only allows non-essential travel from seven countries. But the proposals will also contain an "emergency brake" allowing member states to limit travel quickly in response to new variants or a deteriorating health situation in non-EU countries. This would be reviewed every two weeks...READ MORE
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Tourism Enhancement Fund Donates Six Bicycles to Royal St Lucia Police Force

The Royal Saint Lucia Police Force (RSLPF) added six more bicycles to its Bicycle Patrol Unit on Monday 26 th April 2021, courtesy of the SLHTA’s Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF).

The new Fuji SR Suntour bicycles will be used in the Gros Islet district and compliment a previous donation of bicycles to the RSLPF by the Saint Lucia Air and Sea Ports Authority (SLASPA) after the Bicycle Patrol Unit was piloted nearly three years ago.

The official handover ceremony was held at Police Headquarters at Chesterfield on Bridge Street, Castries, on Monday this week. TEF Programme Coordinator, Donette Ismael, said the donation was not only timely, but also a moment to celebrate the positives the police force has been recording even during a challenging COVID-19 pandemic era...READ MORE
Ms Anesta Cornibert is employed within the duty free retail sector. Any courtesies extended to Ms Cornibert will be greatly appreciated.