NEW YORK (July 7, 2007) – The spirit of St. Lucia Carnival hovered over the early morning Brooklyn air on Wednesday, July 4 when the St. Lucia Tourist Board (SLTB) teamed up with the St. Lucian-owned Club Caribbean City and the St. Lucian-American Paradise Islands Carnival Band to stage a Lucian Carnival kick-off fête.

"The spirit of our Carnival is in the air," said Lorine Charles-St. Jules, the St. Lucia Tourist Board's Director of Marketing for North America, basking in the positive reaction to the Carnival Send Off party, held nearby Eastern Parkway where the famous West Indian American Labour Day Carnival will take place in September.


"The event served the dual purpose of promoting Carnival in St. Lucia which culminates in the streets of Castries on Monday, July 16 and Tuesday, July 17; and then returns to New York City on Monday, September 3 when St. Lucians will join their Caribbean brothers and sisters to celebrate our rich culture and heritage in Brooklyn," said Charles-St. Jules.

The New York-based St. Lucian Paradise Islands Carnival band gave patrons a sneak-preview of what to expect during the famous Labour Day carnival in New York. They also put party goers in the spirit of St. Lucia Carnival.

Explaining that the St. Lucia Tourist Board was redoubling efforts to make St. Lucia Carnival a top celebration in the Caribbean region, the marketing executive said the SLTB – in collaboration with St. Lucia's Cultural Development Foundation – will partner to promote "Lucian Carnival 2008" during the Labour Day celebrations in New York this year.

Maria Fowell, the island's Director of Tourism, said that the thriving Caribbean community in North America, the United Kingdom and beyond is critical to the success of St. Lucia Carnival in 2007, 2008 and the coming years. "We've embarked on solid strategies to work with St. Lucians and West Indians abroad to strengthen St. Lucia Carnival, our festivals and special events which boost tourism to our island," said Fowell, promising that "our engagement with the Diaspora will be a round-the-clock activity."

Recent outreach activities to the Diaspora include the "St. Lucia Super Summer Savers" promotion plan, an incentive of the St. Lucia Tourist Board, which gives visitors, including returning Caribbean nationals, an opportunity to enjoy the beauty and splendor of St. Lucia while saving with huge discounts.

All visitors, including those who are attending Carnival celebrations this month, are eligible to receive discounts up to 40 percent off at participating hotels and up to 25 percent off tours, attractions, restaurants, golfing, spa and car rentals, while attractive incentives are being offered to the travel agent community.

For further information, call 1 (800) 456-3984 or 1 (888) 4-STLUCIA (in the United States), 1 (800) 869-0377 (in Canada); or visit www.stlucia.org, the official website of the St. Lucia Tourist Board.