TORONTO — Saint Lucia broke all records for visitor arrivals in 2017, with the number of inbound travellers climbing to an all-time island high of 1,105,541.

Saint Lucia also recorded the highest growth in 2017 among the Caribbean Tourism Organization member countries, with an 11% increase.

Tourism officials for the island say 2017 was characterized by sustained growth in the industry, with stayover arrivals at 386,127 and the cruise sector recording a 14% increase, reaching 669,217, an additional 81,264 visitors despite the eight-month closure of the Pointe Seraphine Berth 1.

Minister of Tourism Information and Broadcasting Dominic Fedee, says: “The tourism industry continues to be an incredibly important and vital part of the Saint Lucian economy. We are happy with the levels of growth witnessed and as we continue our marketing efforts, we as well look to maximizing the impact of tourism on our economy.”

The Saint Lucia Tourism Authority worked with the CTO and trade partners to overcome the indirect challenges faced by Hurricanes Irma and Maria, ensuring all markets that the destination was safe and available for travel, he added.