Saint Lucia records historic January 2026 visitor arrivals performance

Published on March 2, 2026

The Saint Lucia Tourism Authority (SLTA) is pleased to report a record breaking performance in visitor arrivals for January 2026, reaffirming Saint Lucia’s strong global appeal and resilience within the international tourism marketplace.

Saint Lucia welcomed 37,691 stay-over visitors in January 2026, representing a 4% increase over January 2025, and a 2% increase over 2024, making it the highest January on record for the destination.

The United States market continued to lead growth, delivering 22,699 stay-over arrivals, an impressive 11% increase over January 2025, despite significant snowstorms and airspace disruptions experienced across key gateways during the month.

Canada also posted strong growth, welcoming 4,400 visitors, reflecting an 8.5% increase year-over-year. European markets demonstrated notable performance:

• France recorded a 20% increase.
• Italy surged with an exceptional 64% increase.
• The United Kingdom market declined by 19.7%, reflecting ongoing economic pressures and airlift challenges within that market.

Regionally, the Caribbean market saw a marginal 1.2% decline, while South America registered a 3% increase.

Saint Lucia’s cruise sector also experienced robust growth in January 2026. The destination recorded 150,323 cruise passengers, reflecting a 10.8% increase over January 2025, supported by three additional port calls during the month. This performance underscores Saint Lucia’s continued strength as a premier cruise destination in the Caribbean.