Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is building on rising visitor numbers, improved air access and a growing accommodation portfolio, while keeping local communities and its authenticity at the heart of its tourism strategy
Shafia London, CEO of the Tourism Authority, spoke to Travel Bulletin at WTM London about how the destination is broadening its appeal to continue the positive uptick in UK holidaymakers.
The destination recorded a 17.3% increase in visitor arrivals in the first half of 2025, with improved air accessibility, increased hotel investment and improved destination awareness helping to drive growth.
According to Shafia, the destination is benefiting from growing recognition among travellers looking for a different kind of Caribbean holiday.
“Travellers are really discovering what Vincentians have always known: that Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is an authentic Caribbean destination, a very diverse Caribbean destination,” she said.
“More people are coming, so that’s definitely driving the growth. We’ve also made a number of investments in our hotels, particularly at Sandals Resort, which opened just about four years ago. We are seeing a number of UK visitors enjoying the Sandals brand and coming to Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.”
Airlift opens up new opportunities
Improved air connectivity is key to the destination’s growth ambitions, with increased services from Heathrow and expanded US connections helping to bring visitors closer to its 32 islands and cays.
“Accessibility is critical, and we have found that there’s been a direct correlation between how accessible we’ve become and the growth in our tourism industry,” Shafia said.
She believes the destination’s varied experiences make it appealing to a wider range of holidaymakers, from adventure seekers and sailing enthusiasts to those looking for a relaxed beach escape.
“You can climb the volcano. You can go parrot watching. You can go sailing. You can take a dive off of over 300 waterfalls. You can just chill on the beach without shoes, or you can dive into our culture and our heritage, which is deep and rich.”
Sandals is expanding, while Marriott is also investing in its offering. Further developments are planned across the Grenadines, with Shafia anticipating a significant change in the accommodation landscape over the next two years.
“The face of tourism in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is going to change,” she said. New investment is expected to create more options for families, couples, and groups.
“We want to ensure that when people visit the destination, they have somewhere to stay. We are relying heavily on these investments to ensure that all types of visitors are comfortable when they visit us.”
A destination for all
Shafia believes some of the islands’ most distinctive experiences remain underrepresented in the UK market, particularly the opportunities for active and adventure-led holidays.
“It's not every day you get to climb a live volcano,” she said. “It's not every day you get to chase over 300 waterfalls. It's not every day you get to sail on pristine waters and just lose yourself, set your spirit free, and just be.
“Saint Vincent and the Grenadines offers all of that and more. I don't think you can find that very easily in most other destinations, and we're easy to get to. Because we're so diverse, we will be able to put together bespoke packages for various ages.”
Keeping communities at its heart
The destination’s tourism offering is organised around three broad pillars: marine experiences, nature and adventure, and culture and celebration. With 32 islands and cays, sailing, fishing and diving are central to local life, while the landscape provides opportunities for hiking, rainforest exploration and nature trails.
“We have more water than land, so sailing and fishing and diving is part of who we are. The community is inviting you to be part of who they are.”
Culture and celebration, meanwhile, give visitors the opportunity to experience the islands’ heritage and the way local people celebrate and welcome guests.
“It's not that we are designing it just for you. We're inviting you to join us in who we are as a people, and that puts the community right in the heart.”
Education will be another priority as Saint Vincent and the Grenadines looks to convert growing awareness into bookings. The Tourism Authority has a dedicated online training platform where travel agents and tour operators can sign up to learn more about the destination and become certified sellers.
Agents can register through the platform to become a certified travel agent or operator for Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.
The Tourism Authority is also encouraging the trade to make direct contact to discuss the product and explore how best to package it for their clients.
“Talk to us, and that's it. Visit us. You reach out to the Tourism Authority. We do familiarisation trips. We can take UK agents to really see and understand the product,” Shafia said.
“We do it quite frequently, actually. Every month we have visitors, but it depends on who they are and what they're interested in seeing. We want people to sell it, understanding what it is, and that it is not a mass tourism approach. It is an approach where we invite you to be part of our community and experience our natural assets that are very rare and unique.”
“We relish the opportunity to actually invite agents who are going to work with us and partners, so they understand. So when they sell it, they're selling from their hearts and not just from a commercial space.”
