Next week, Saint Lucia’s annual Dive Fest will kick off as hundreds of divers descend on the island to share a love of the underwater world while having fun discovering world-class dive sites and snorkeling.

It’s also The Travel Agent Next Door agent Julie Gilchrist’s wedding which TravelPulse Canada has been invited to attend. It’s going to definitely be a once-in-a-lifetime experience; Julie and her fiancé Sean are both avid divers and will be holding their wedding … underwater.

"Saint Lucia is one of the most beautiful islands in the Caribbean,” says Gilchrist. “We had attended the wedding of some dear friends in Saint Lucia in 2017. My fiance Sean completed his open water check out dives during that trip, as well. When I attended the second annual Dive Fest FAM last year, the Saint Lucia Tourism Board and I started talking about the idea of holding the wedding underwater.

Between the friendships we've made, the spectacular diving, and the romantic time that we have shared in Saint Lucia together, it made complete sense to celebrate our love for each other and get married there.”

Gilchrist’s love for the island is a sentiment felt by many Canadians, which is a big market for the country. TravelPulse Canada met with Saint Lucia’s Minister of Tourism, the Hon. Dominic Fedee in late August where we discussed how tourism is growing on the island.

“Coral reefs all over the world have been on a downward track and what we’re try to do is bring into focus the incredible role they play in regards to tourism with Dive Fest,” Fedee explains. “We’re custodians of the underwater world and Dive Fest spotlights the need to keep the underwater world as pristine as possible.”

Fedee says Dive Fest also spotlights the regulations the country has put in place such as the fact there are no plastics in use anymore on the island and many of the hotels are using paper straws.

“As we go about doing these little steps in a more comprehensive approach to solid waste management, we think it will have a significant impact on the coral and marine life.”

Canada remains a strong market for Saint Lucia, and is part of the reason the country is investing $1 Billion USD in infrastructure to help continue to grow tourism, including the airport expansion that is underway and expected to finish in the next 2.5 years.

“The airport is really just a small portion of that investment,” Fedee tells us. “We are spending several million on roads to improve access to our attractions and from the airport to hotels in the north. In addition, we’re also improving our water supply so we can have larger capacity, as we have in the pipeline a number of projects which will add about 2,000 rooms. And that means those 2,000 rooms will increase the current room stock by about 50 percent. In the next several years, our room stock is forecasted to be about 6500-7,000.”

Fedee also says their program that allows locals to provide accommodation and experiences, similar to an Airbnb, has been advanced significantly. He is taking legislation to Parliament sometime this month that will regulate how all of the different units are registered and licensed so that the customer is assured they are getting good customer service, even though it’s not a full-fledged hotel.

“We have heritage sites, a volcano, some of the best spas and resorts in the Caribbean. The island in itself is full of mystique and charm. The vibe of the destination is so unique that it’s hard to do justice in just words. There is no other island in the Caribbean that can offer the close up interaction that we can.”

Fedee says that’s why it’s important for agents to experience Saint Lucia themselves and that he’s proud of his Saint Lucia agents in Canada.

“I’m proud of what our agents have been able to do. This is an industry that’s been tested significantly by technology and yet they’ve been able to reinvent themselves. The industry has shown tremendous resilience and Saint Lucia will continue to work with travel agents. We want to partner with them even further because we believe there will always be a place for travel professionals.

Thumbs up to them on what they’ve been able to do.”