Mélange Travel & Lifestyle Magazine October 2019 | Page 22

Celebrating the island’s rich Kweyol or Creole identity, Jounen Kweyol is a time to rejoice with a programme of cultural demonstrations and musical performances held in October. During this time various towns chosen to host this festival offer visitors a wonderful opportunity to learn more about the French, African and native influenced culture and customs of this vibrant island. There is also the opportunity to try tasty Kweyol dishes such as fishcakes, bwapain woti (roasted breadfruit) and the national dish, green fig and saltfish. How has your country’s tourism focus evolved over the years? To what extent have those changes been influenced by the sustainable tourism model, if at all? Saint Lucia’s rainforest is a wonderful world of massive trees wrapped in vines, giant aerial roots, towering ferns, sparkling waterfalls and a symphony of birds. The best way to experience it is on foot with a well-informed guide on one of the many nature trails maintained by the Forestry Department. To improving the environment and preserving the islands natural footprint, over thirty percent of the island is still covered by rainforest. it’s third year. The heart of the Roots & Soul festival took place at Pigeon Island along the backdrop of the Caribbean Sea. Special guests included R&B As of June 1st, 2019, Saint Lucia superstars Ginuwine and Mya, implemented a ban on the along with reggae singer importation of Styrofoam ® and Tarrus Riley performing with selected plastic food service Estelle. The festival ended containers. Any Styrofoam and with a special performance by the selected plastic food service British reggae and pop legends containers landed after May UB40 as a celebration to the 31, 2019 will not be released island’s 40th anniversary of by the Customs and Excise independence. Department. These items will be phased out over a one-year Coming up, we have the Saint period commencing June 1, Lucia Dive Fest and Creole 2019 until May 31, 2020. Heritage month in October. Any special events and festivals you will like to highlight? For the first-time, through a one-of-a-kind collaboration, the Saint Lucia Jazz Festival and Jazz at Lincoln Center joined forces to produce the 2019 Saint Lucia Jazz Festival, which took place this past May in Saint Lucia. Renowned as the premier Jazz festival in the Caribbean, the 2019 Saint Lucia Jazz Festival Produced in Collaboration with Jazz at Lincoln Center featured the finest names in modern jazz performing in intimate venues and public settings throughout Saint Lucia. The Roots & Soul Festival took place this past August. It’s an eclectic concert series now in What message do you have for people considering St. Lucia as their next vacation destination? As a destination, Saint Lucia prides itself on the power of the experiences it offers - world class accommodation, cuisine, renowned music festivals, the world’s only drive through volcano, warm friendly people, jaw dropping vistas and an atmosphere that is both relaxing and rewarding. Throughout the year, visitors will experience an ongoing calendar of events to celebrate the 40th anniversary including parades, sporting events, horse races, galas and concerts. Twenty (20) Saint Lucian hotels have also created promotional packages up to 40% off that include discounts on future stays, spa treatments, activities, and other amenities. As fall and winter are quickly approaching, our airline partners will start operating on the winter schedules. Air Canada will fly daily non-stop from Toronto. Westjet will start flying twice a week direct from Toronto, and Sunwing will fly once a week on Saturdays. Getting to Saint Lucia couldn’t be earlier, there’s no better time to visit! Checkout our brand-new website: www.stlucia.org for upcoming events, must see attractions and a complete list of accommodations. Follow on This year, Saint Lucia celebrated its 40th Anniversary of Independence on February 22, 2019. Before achieving independence on February 22, 1979, the country changed hands fourteen times with seven battles won by the French and seven by the British. Photo Credit: St. Lucia Tourism Authority