Find Tourism and Travel partners in St Vincent and The Grenadines

Overview

The total contribution of the travel and tourism sector in St Vincent and the Grenadines is estimated at 25.3% of GDP in 2011 according to the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC). The WTTC ranked the islands 25th in the world in relation to relative contribution of tourism to the economy, 11.3% above the world average. This figure (25.3% of GDP) is forecast to rise steadily over the coming decade. The industry supports 23.0% of total employment, which in real terms means that 10,000 people are employed either directly or indirectly in travel and tourism (2011). Visitor exports are a major part of the export revenue and generated 51.0% of total exports in 2011. In 2012, St Vincent and the Grenadines received 72,000 visitors by air and over 150,000 by sea in either cruises or yachts. 

Investment

The St Vincent and the Grenadines Tourism Authority (SVGTA) is responsible for promoting and developing the tourism industry within the country under the Ministry of Tourism, Sports and Culture. St Vincent and the Grenadines has a developed tourist industry with good infrastructure and offers a range of attractions to appeal to a varied clientele. The main focus of tourism marketing is on tourists from the UK, Europe and North America. As in other Caribbean countries, weddings and honeymoons form an important and growing part of the tourism sector. A central angle of tourism marketing is on active holidays with ecotourism including whale and turtle watching, water sports and sailing at the heart of the tourist board’s advertising. They also promote the country as a destination for a short trip for yachters. Scenes from the globally successful first Pirates of the Caribbean film were shot at various locations around the island but the tourist board does not yet promote this as an attraction so there is potential for investment in this area. The board encourages visitors to enjoy the local festivals and carnivals which celebrate local culture and history, including the Breadfruit Festival which takes place in August and is linked with the history of slavery in the country.

Investment in the travel and tourism sector in 2011 was XCD79.0mn, constituting 14.1% of total investment.  This was expected to fall by 10.2% in 2012, but then rise by 2.8% pa over the following ten years to XCD93.5mn by 2022.