page_title: Saint Lucia
section_title: Tourism
hierarchical_section_title: Saint Lucia / Economy / Tourism
caption_attribution_description: English: Picture taken from the top of Pigeon Island, looking East, towards Reduit Beach. To the left is the Landings Sandals Grande.
context_page_description: Saint Lucia is a sovereign island country in the West Indies in the eastern Caribbean Sea on the boundary with the Atlantic Ocean. The island was previously called Iyonola, the name given to the island by the native Arawaks and later, Hewanorra, the name given by the native Caribs, two separate Amerindian peoples. Part of the Lesser Antilles, it is located north/northeast of the island of Saint Vincent, northwest of Barbados and south of Martinique. It covers a land area of 617 km² and reported a population of 165,595 in the 2010 census. Its capital is Castries.
  The French were the first Europeans to settle on the island. They signed a treaty with the native Island Caribs in 1660. England took control of the island from 1663 to 1667. In ensuing years, it was at war with France fourteen times, and the rule of the island changed frequently. In 1814, the British took definitive control of the island. Because it switched so often between British and French control, Saint Lucia was also known as the "Helen of the West Indies" after the Greek mythological character, Helen of Troy.
  Representative government came about in 1840.
context_section_description: Tourism is vital to Saint Lucia's economy. Its economic importance is expected to continue to increase as the market for bananas have become more competitive. Tourism tends to be more substantial during the dry season (January to April), often referred to as the tourist season. Saint Lucia tends to be popular due to its tropical weather and scenery and its beaches and resorts.
  Other tourist attractions include a drive-in volcano, Sulphur Springs (in Soufrière), zip lining in at Sault Falls, Dennery, the Botanical Gardens, the Majestic twin Peaks "The Pitons", a world heritage site, the rain forests, several options of boat trips, Frigate Island Nature Reserve (Operated by the St. Lucia National Trust), Dennery, and Pigeon Island National Park, which is home to Fort Rodney, an old British military base.
  The majority of tourists visit Saint Lucia as part of a cruise. Most of their time tends to be spent in Castries, although Soufriere, Marigot Bay, Rodney Bay and Gros Islet are also tourist destinations.
  The current Minister of Tourism is Dominic Fedee, he has been in his role since 2016.
caption: Gros Islet and Rodney Bay as seen from Pigeon Island
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