Officials at this morning’s ARC contract-signing ceremony: (from left) Director of Tourism Louis Lewis, Tourism Minister Lorne Theophilus and Managing Director of World Cruising Club (WCC) Andrew Bishop.
The Atlantic Rally for Cruisers (ARC) seems poised for some more smooth sailing as far as its annual finish line is concerned.
On Thursday morning, Director of Tourism Louis Lewis and Managing Director of World Cruising Club (WCC) Andrew Bishop, signed a new five-year contract that will ensure that Saint Lucia remains the finish line for the annual cross-Atlantic race.
At a press conference held at the Saint Lucia Tourist Board (SLTB) office Thursday, officials expressed the mutual benefits that have been reaped during the over two decades that the ARC has ended in Saint Lucia. The director of tourism described the signing as “a very significant event in the tourism annals of Saint Lucia”, adding that the event has become a signature yachting event in Saint Lucia.
“It’s an event that we have benefited from tremendously,” Lewis said. “It’s one where we’ve seen thousands of persons travel to Saint Lucia on an annual basis during this trans-Atlantic crossing to visit the destination. It’s not just about the people who arrive at the destination but also about people who contribute to the economic activity on the island.”
Lewis said the recent hosting of the ARC was successful, resulting in major economic spin-offs for the island via the visibility of the destination as well as the total spend by visitors. He added that the signing cemented such fruitful prospects for the island for years to come.
For his part, Bishop, whose organization is the main organizer of the ARC, said the contract-signing ensures that Saint Lucia remains the home of the annual race. He said the ARC had become a permanent fixture in Saint Lucia since 1986 and is an event that has “become well-established in the yachtsmen’s calendar”.
“It’s a truly international event with typically between 25 to 30 different nationalities represented every year and well over 200 boats participating,” Bishop explained. “It’s always encouraging to know that the outreach of the ARC is beyond just Rodney Bay. Its (reach) does go out into the rest of the country.”
The new agreement runs from 2014 to 2018 and Bishop said continued plans are being made to increase the level of participation in the world’s largest trans-Atlantic event. He said the current demand for places in the ARC has grown to the point where the WCC has had to launch a second event, ARC Plus, which began last year and includes a stop in Cape Verde Islands. 44 boats participated in that event last year.
Bishop said 265 boats ended the race at the Rodney Bay IGY Marina last December, which represented an increase in the number of participation compared to previous years. He also thanked the Saint Lucia Tourist Board and other sponsors for their support to the event over the years.
Minister for Tourism Lorne Theophilus expressed gratitude at the extension of the contract sealing Saint Lucia’s smooth sailing as the destination of choice. The minister said the ARC is of extreme importance to the island and has become an event that Saint Lucians have embraced. He also expressed the hope that more events will be added around the ARC to complement an already invaluable product.
When the 28th edition of the ARC was held last year, the fastest-ever time from Gran Canaria to Saint Lucia was recorded when the eight-member crew from Caro crossed the finishing line.