Tourism chief touts Cricket World Cup arrivals

West Indies v Afghanistan at DSCG (Photo Credit – Henry Moeran) Saint Lucia’s Daren Sammy Cricket Ground (DSCG) hosted six matches in the ICC Men’s Two World Cup, and the venue came in for plaudits from organisers, commentators, players, and fans. Hon. Ernest Hilaire, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Tourism, Investment, Creative Industries, Culture, and Information, told reporters this week that the competition yielded a tourism bonanza for Saint Lucia. Hilaire noted that June is historically a month with low visitor arrivals to the island. But the combination of the global cricket showpiece and increased airlift over the past 12 months combined for a significant uptick in the number of tourists touching down on local shores. “In June, we saw a 42% increase in arrivals for the month,” disclosed Hilaire. “All the four main markets recorded increases, led by the US with a 55% month-on-month increase. Of course, we had an increase in seats over last June. The American Airlines second daily service from Miami, JetBlue’s second daily service from New York, and American Airlines upgraded its frequency from Charlotte. “The Caribbean grew by 24% over June last year. We had more flights from Inter Caribbean as well as...