| St Lucia Facts & Figures |
Population 170,650
Capital Castries
Area 616 sq km/238 sq m); 43 km/27 miles long 23 km/14 miles wide
Geography St Lucia is a volcanic island dominated by high peaks and rain forests and is known for the twin peaks of Gros Piton and Petit Piton on the southwestern coast. The highest peak is Mount Gimie - 958m/3118ft. The island has 158 km of coastline. The island is divided into 11 quarters – Anse la Raye, Canaries, Castries, Choiseul, Dennery, Forest, Gros Islet, Laborie, Micoud, Soufriere, Vieux Fort
Time Difference GMT -4 Hours Language Official language is English; the local dialect is French Patois
Monetary Unit Eastern Caribbean dollar EC$ (fixed to the US Dollar); US dollars are widely accepted
Airport Hewanorra International Airport on the southern tip of the island handles international flights. The George F.L. Charles Airport in Castries handles inter-Caribbean traffic
Flight Times 8 hours 45 minutes from London – BA and Virgin fly from Gatwick; Virgin fly from Manchester; 4 hours from New York – with American Airlines
Climate Tropical climate with little seasonal temperature variation averaging 27°c; average daily sunshine is 8 – 9 hours; seasonal rainfall between June and December
Location St Lucia is the second largest of the Windward Islands and part of the Lesser Antilles, with the Caribbean Sea on the west coast and the Atlantic Ocean on the east coast
Government St Lucia is an ex-British colony and has been an independent state in the Commonwealth since February 1979; Governor General - Pearlette Louisy; Prime Minister - Stephenson King Economy In 2005 GDP grew by 5.1% Tourism and banana production are the main sources of income for St Lucia and the tourist industry is its biggest employer. Improvements in roads, communications and services infrastructure have attracted foreign investment.
Tourism St Lucia is considered to be the most romantic destination in the Caribbean and attracts a large number of visitors each year. In 2005 tourist visitors totalled over 700,000 mainly from the US and UK and tourism accounted for more than 48% of St Lucia’s GDP. High season – mid Dec to mid April
Please contact Sales@garyelliott.co.uk to arrange your visit.
Marquis Estate Visit - Oasis and Gary Player [03.10.08]
In October 2008, Harlequin held a visit to the Marquis Estate land with representatives from the Gary Player team, who will be designing and creating a fabulous championship golf course within the Marquis Estate itself, and the Oasis Hotels group who will be operating the Hotel and resort. During the visit, the Prime Minister of St. Lucia, Honourable Stephenson King was in attendance.
Great Investment Opportunity:
•The general crime rate in St Lucia is one of the lowest in the Caribbean, making it a safe haven for tourists and for living.
• The island benefits from a stable government and economy, and there are very favourable tax concessions for property buyers from overseas: No Rental Income Tax, No Capital Gains Tax, No Inheritance Tax, No Repatriation Tax.
• The island is still unspoilt and undeveloped, although several new developments have recently been started. The government sees expansion of tourism as a key objective and the growing popularity of the island for holidays mean that there is excellent rental potential for properties.
• The real estate sector in St Lucia is booming. St Lucia is still one of the most reasonably priced islands in the Caribbean for property acquisition with prices 60% lower than on Barbados.
• Property prices have increased by around 40% per annum for the last 2 years, and are projected to continue to rise for the next 5 years.