When planning a trip to a sunshine getaway, travel sites recommend the major resorts and hotels that most customers are aware exist.
But these same locations have plenty of other small, more intimate options. The Saint Lucia Tourism Authority (SLTA) has decided to put them front and center.
The SLTA has launched a new marketing campaign to promote the hundreds of smaller properties on the Caribbean island.
Collection de Pépites features many of the 400 bed and breakfasts, boutique hotels, inns, and luxury villas available on the island. The goal is to make visitors aware of properties with 35 or fewer rooms.
The SLTA believes the properties will give visitors a different experience in the country, allowing for a more intimate chance to discover the culture and culinary experiences available.
“We are really excited to bring together this collection of wonderful property gems for people to discover,” Lorine Charles-St. Jules, CEO of SLTA, told Travel Daily News International. “We know from visitor feedback that there is a real demand for these distinct properties, many of which give the opportunity to get closer to the action for an authentic experience.”
The name — Collection de Pépites — originates from the country’s French heritage and roughly translated means small pieces or nuggets of gold. That is what the SLTA considers these properties.
It has put together the entire Collection de Pépites on a website that allows visitors to filter through all of the options by property type, region, meal plans, amenities, and average nightly rate. Customers can enter travel dates, find the property they desire, and book their trip.
These properties are often off the beaten track all over the island.
Charles-St. Jules said there are a number of reasons to choose a smaller accommodation.
“It could be a desire to have total privacy, to celebrate a milestone event in a smaller setting, or to bring extended families and friends together in a destination as special as Saint Lucia,” Charles-St. Jules said.
The range is wide, from cottages and apartments to a Caribbean castle or a private estate on the water.
“We are thrilled to offer more choices to our visitors and by highlighting what’s different about each of these properties, we are confident that travelers will seize the opportunity and book.”
All of the properties have been accredited by the STLA, and it will monitor them on an ongoing basis to make sure they meet standards.
The travel industry is thrilled with the new campaign.
“Working together, the Ministry of Tourism, Saint Lucia Tourism Authority, and the Saint Lucia Hospitality and Tourism Association have created a meaningful avenue for marketing our classifications of accommodation,” said Thomas Leonce, president of the Vacation Rental Association. “We look forward to sharing the many compelling attributes of Collection de Pépites with vacationers both regionally and internationally.”
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