This month, The Saint Lucia Tourist Board (SLTB) launches Saint Lucia Agent Months (SLAM) to bring agents to Saint Lucia from June through October to experience the destination first hand. The promotion includes booking incentives, special rates on accommodations and reduced airfares on American Airlines.
Hailing from key source markets, including Atlanta, New York, Washington DC, Chicago, Baltimore, Philadelphia, Boston, Charlotte, Dallas and Miami, travel agents will visit the island’s diverse tours, land and sea attractions and conduct numerous site inspections of Saint Lucia’s diverse hotels and resorts.
“The travel agent community is an extremely important partner and a major contributor to our success,” said SLTB’s Director of Tourism Louis Lewis. “Through such programs as SLAM, the Tourist Board is strengthening its commitment to our travel agency partners with enhanced education and sales efforts, as we continue to work together to increase arrivals to the island.”
Participating hotels include Almond Morgan Bay, Anse Chastanet Resort, Bay Gardens Beach Resort, Calabash Cove, Cap Maison, Coconut Bay, Coco Resorts, Fond Doux Plantation, Jade Mountain, Marigot Bay Hotel, Mago Estate, Rendezvous, Royal by rex resorts, St. Lucian by rex resorts, Smugglers Cove Resort & Spa, The Landings, Village Inn & Spa, Windjammer Landing and Villa Beach Resort. For more information on SLAM and to receive the coupons, travel agents can contact the SLTB via phone, e-mail or contact the hotels directly.
In July, the SLTB kicks off its 2011 Summer/Fall Travel Road Shows starting in New Jersey. Promoting the island under the theme “The Legend Lives On,” highlighting the unique and authentic products, services and attractions to the travel agent community, the SLTB’s marketing and sales teams will spend time in 26 cities across 17 US states before heading North into key markets in Canada .
“Saint Lucia arrivals are continuing to grow much in part to the continued support from the travel agent community and their efforts to sell the destination,” said Nerdin St. Rose, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for the Saint Lucia Tourist Board. “The road shows will help to further strengthen our relationship with the travel agents and at the same time educate new agents on the destination. Agents attending the road shows will gain points towards the Preferred Agent Saint Lucia Specialist (PASS) program.”
Other road show stops on the itinerary include: Eatontown, NJ; Philadelphia, PA; Baltimore, MD; Arlington, VA; Atlanta, GA; Miami, FL; San Antonio, TX; Dallas, TX; Houston, TX; Brookfield, WI; Northbrook, IL; Oakbrook, IL; Detroit, MI; Cincinnati, OH; Boston, MA; New Haven, CT; Westchester, NY; Long Island, NY; Brooklyn, NY; Manhattan, NY; San Jose, CA; Orange County, CA; and Los Angeles, CA.
Saint Lucia Tourist Board, 800-456-3984, information@stlucia.org, www.saintlucianow.com