A “refreshed” online training programme leads the investments alongside a new annual incentive, a summer booking promotion and St Lucia Agent Month (SLAM).
The destination’s total visitor figures for 2017 topped an all-time high of 1.1m with 2018 continuing to show growth, the SLTA said.
The training programme is a “reviewed and refined” version of its predecessor, which tourism officials said would make it more interactive.
Alongside the existing marketing and sales collateral, updates, factsheets, maps and images, the relaunch means more video content, webinars and a better management system for fam trip requests.
The site has been re-branded to St Lucia Expert (SLEx) and all previous specialists will be transferred to “Expert” status automatically with a refresher course required each December.
Experts who make bookings will go into SLTA’s quarterly draws with a chance to win a place at an awards ceremony in St Lucia in June 2019 celebrating the best producers from the UK, US and Canada.
Launching this week and running until September 30, the Summer of Discovery is the biggest and most interactive summer promotion the destination has run.
A prize draw of £7,500 is up for grabs for anyone visiting this season who captures a selfie at some of the 25 chosen landmarks and attractions over the island.
Would-be visitors can also save up to 60% on their holiday accommodation with 12 tour operators taking part, including Caribtours, Elegant Resorts, and Inspiring Travel Company.
To participate in the Summer of Discovery prize draw, visitors must follow @travelsaintlucia on their Instagram and Facebook feeds and visit a minimum of five out of the 25 locations.
Photos must be posted with the hashtag #summerofdiscovery, plus the hashtag for each location.
Finally, they should tag @travelsaintlucia in the photo. One of the selfies must be at the property where the guest is staying. For every location-based selfie posted beyond the five minimum, participants will receive an additional entry in the prize-draw.
In addition, the promotion features St Lucia’s new Holiday Travel Guarantee, adopted by a number of properties on the island meaning guests will not forfeit their trip as a result of adverse weather but be allowed to defer their holiday to a later date.
The SLTA has also launched its annual travel agent incentive programme Saint Lucia Agent Months (SLAM) for the first time in the UK market, with the aim of the campaign to showcase the island to agents from June to the end of November.
It includes special rates on flights through Virgin Atlantic along with accommodation, tours and attractions, hotel transfers, airline tickets and dining options.
Agents will have the opportunity to conduct hotel site inspections and to immerse themselves in all that Saint Lucia has to offer their clients in their own time.
For the range of hotels and resorts participating in SLAM – visit www.stlucia.org or www.saintluciaexpert.com
