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TTG prizewinner Anna Drewitt visited St Lucia on a fam trip. She explains to Charlotte Cullinan how the responsible tour changed the way she sells the island
Within weeks of returning from a fam trip to St Lucia, agent Anna Drewitt had already made several bookings, and in each instance responsible tourism helped to seal the deal. While Drewitt has sold numerous trips to St Lucia in her role as The Co-operative Travel Frome’s branch manager, her insight into the island’s sustainable offering came courtesy of an eight-day fam in December. Organised by the Saint Lucia Tourist Board, it built upon the knowledge Drewitt had already gleaned after completing a Travel Foundation online training course about the island.
She explains: “I’ve sold St Lucia lots before, but since returning I’ve really focused on the ethical and community-focused side of things. I talk about the street food that customers can try, the tours to see plantations which help local farmers, and all the things they can do to support communities.”
This alternative angle has already helped Drewitt to secure two bookings. “It gives the destination an edge and a difference to a normal Caribbean holiday in a five-star, all-inclusive hotel. It really brings it to life and customers are genuinely interested, as responsible tourism is a topical issue. When I talk about my experiences, they get really excited about visiting.”
Atlyn Forde, the Saint Lucia Tourist Board’s director of marketing, UK and Europe, says the trip was designed to showcase the diversity of the tourism product in St Lucia. “We included a variety of excursions that support and generate income for local communities and villages across the island. We hope the agents can then encourage visitors to explore and connect with communities as this gives them a more authentic experience of St Lucia.”
Drewitt says tasting the island’s cuisine is the perfect introduction to St Lucian life and recommends customers book on a B&B basis, to allow them to enjoy food from roadside vendors and restaurants. Her top tip is to head to the Friday night Gros Islet Jump Up street party and peruse the popular food stalls. “There is so much choice of fish and meat, and it all smells amazing. I had some lovely vegetable noodles that only cost about £1.”
While a DJ played Caribbean tunes, Drewitt chatted to other tourists and locals who were soaking up the atmosphere. “It’s really busy, and such good fun. Everyone is very friendly.”And there are other activities she encourages customers to experience. At Coconut Bay Beach Resort & Spa, she enjoyed rum tasting, sampling sugar cane and learning about the distilling process and why spices are added. She was then impressed by the skin-softening properties of the Sulphur Springs volcanic mud baths in Soufriere, which boasts the title of the world’s only drive-in volcano. “We saw all the springs bubbling and had a really knowledgeable guide who explained everything. The mud is meant to make you look years younger,” she says.
The island also offers a plethora of birdwatching and rainforest experiences. Drewitt recommends heading to the Castries Waterworks Reserve, where zip lining and guided tours and trails are available with eco-adventure specialist Rainforest Adventures.
Drewitt won her place on the trip through a TTG prize draw after completing the Saint Lucia Local Lowdown online training, developed by the Travel Foundation. “I’d definitely recommend it, as it only takes about 20 minutes and is interactive, with quotes and information from local people which makes it easier to remember.”
She found the wealth of information beyond the standard fare of Caribbean beaches and hotels particularly useful. “You learn about St Lucian culture and what customers can do to support local people, and it brings the food to life. It’s fabulous for learning about different areas, too.”
The training is divided into seven modules. These focus on introducing the island, transport, flora and fauna, food and drink, the people and the environment. It also describes the traditional souvenirs, arts and crafts available. Drewitt heeded the advice and brought some spices and hot sauces on her trip to the large Castries Market. “I’d recommend spending an hour there, as there’s a great atmosphere. There are so many stalls, and you can get some lovely baskets and tropical outfits for children.”
During the trip, she visited and stayed in many of the island’s resorts. For families, she highly rates Coconut Bay Beach Resort & Spa in the south, which has adult-only and family-friendly wings. “It has a brilliant kids’ club, a fun water park with slides, a petting zoo and activities like paintballing and kite-surfing. Plus, it’s only a 10-minute transfer from Hewanorra International airport, which is great after a long flight with children.”
For couples and honeymooners, she suggests the west coast’s “absolutely stunning” Jade Mountain resort. “Some rooms have one open wall with an infinity pool overlooking the Pitons. The staff are very friendly and the food is fantastic,” she says.
Drewitt was impressed by the environmental policies evident at the properties she visited. “Keeping their island home as sustainable as possible is a really big thing for the hotels. They do a lot – from information in the rooms on saving water to using seasonal food and local fruits,” she explains.
Prior to the trip, most of Drewitt’s St Lucia bookings were for couples, but she now plans to promote it to families. “It would be perfect for children and is ideal even for babies and toddlers,” she says. “There is lots they can learn about the local area through activities in the kids’ clubs.”
Complete the free training at
travelfoundationtraining.com/saint-lucia-local-lowdown
At 27 miles long and 14 miles wide, the island is small enough to explore in a day, but allowing two or three days gives customers the chance to witness the real St Lucia. Suggest community-based tours from providers such as heritagetoursstlucia.org to learn about the island’s natural, cultural and historical heritage. Encourage visitors to sample local recipes such as the national dish of salt fish and green figs, one-pot cooking or boullion with dumplings. Tropical fruits including coconut, mangos, watermelon, bananas and oranges are also must-tries. The island is home to more than 1,300 wild flowering plant species and 167 bird species. These can be explained by trained guides. There are also 29 miles of trails through 19,000 acres of rainforest. One major road connects all towns and villages and the island is well served by buses, which offer a fun and environmentally friendly way to travel. Taxi drivers are also a wealth of local knowledge, and all authorised taxis have powder-blue number plates with a TX prefix. Settle the price in advance. Leatherback turtles nest on the island’s north coast from March to August and guests can help to protect them by not shining lights on the beaches at night, avoiding the soft sand at the back of the beach and driving slowly when using watersports equipment in the sea. Avoid touching the coral while diving or snorkelling and don’t buy souvenirs made from corals and other marine species as the island’s coral reef is suffering from environmental damage. For authentic St Lucian mementos, head to the communities of Soufriere and Choiseul for an abundance of spices and straw items. Popular wood carvings are available at the Castries Market and nearby Eudovic Art Studio. |
