Invest Saint Lucia, headed by CEO Mr. Roderick Cherry, attended the 10th edition of the Caribbean Hotel Investment Conference & Operations Summit (CHICOS) from November 10-12, 2021, held at the Grand Hyatt Baha Mar in The Bahamas
Invest Saint Lucia, headed by CEO Mr. Roderick Cherry, attended the 10th edition of the Caribbean Hotel Investment Conference & Operations Summit (CHICOS) from November 10-12, 2021, held at the Grand Hyatt Baha Mar in The Bahamas. CHICOS continues to prove itself as one of the premier hospitality conferences in the region, bringing together many industry experts, investors, decision-makers, and regional and international audiences.
In keeping with its mandate to catalyze the inward investment potential of the country and increase investment flows, Invest Saint Lucia participated in two speaking slots. Senior Investment Services Officer Mr. Philbert Lubrin delivered a country presentation focused on positioning Saint Lucia as an ideal tourism investment location. CEO, Mr. Roderick Cherry participated in a Government Leaders Outlook Panel, highlighting the region’s tourism outlook in a post-COVID-19 market.
“We continue to see the signs of recovery on the horizon with the opening of all sectors, the lifting of some curfew restrictions, and adjustments of protocols. Nevertheless, the safety and well-being of residents and visitors remain a priority. With the increase in vaccine uptake, we are cautiously optimistic that as a country, we are trending in the right direction,” stated Mr. Cherry. “Thus, we have a positive outlook for the sector and believe that there is tremendous potential for further tourism development in Saint Lucia.”
Whilst addressing the audience at CHICOS, Mr. Cherry stated that the demand for Saint Lucia as a destination is evident in the increased airlift to the island and heightened investor interest. He also highlighted the various COVID response strategies and initiatives employed by the government and called for regional harmonization of travel protocols, incentive regimes for investors, and climate change issues that continue to affect the economies of small island states.
During the three-day conference, ISL’s Investment Officers conducted various meetings on ease of doing business, country policy on development and investment, gap financing, and greenfield and brownfield investment opportunities.