Feel the Rhythm, Taste the Life, Love the Blue — Discover Laborie
Blue Tourism Initiative – Laborie Pilot Closing Event
On June 5th, Laborie Market Square was filled with pride and celebration as participants, community members and guests gathered for the closing of the Blue Tourism Initiative (BTI) Laborie Pilot. The ceremony was a joyful reflection on how far we’ve come — strengthening local enterprises, embedding sustainability, and showcasing Laborie’s unique tourism identity.
The afternoon opened with prayer and the national anthem, followed by welcome remarks from Mistress of Ceremony Carla Chiquot, who reminded the gathering of the BTI’s mission to empower small businesses and position Laborie as a model for community tourism. Local musician KC lifted spirits with music.
Augustine Dominique, Executive Officer of the Laborie Development Foundation, took the audience on a journey through the project implementation process, and unveiled three new experiential tourism packages — Catch & Cook, Kayak Tour, and Low Tide Saturdays — designed to immerse visitors in authentic coastal life. Certificates were proudly presented to MSMEs, trainees, and workshop participants, while the launch of the redesigned ilovelaborie.org website and Community-based Tourism database marked a new era of digital visibility and interaction for our enterprises.
During the participant Round Table, participants shared heartfelt reflections, speaking of new skills, confidence, and ideas gained through the project. Many pledged to implement sustainability practices such as waste management, energy saving, and cultural preservation in their businesses.
Gratitude was expressed to — Caribbean Natural Resources Institute (CANARI) the implementing partner of the Blue Tourism Initiative (BTI) in the Caribbean, and the funding and global partners the French Facility for Global Environment (FFEM), the Paris- based Institute for Sustainable Development and International Relations (IDDRI) and the Spanish Think and Do Tank eco-union. Gratitude was also extended to global partners: International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in the Mediterranean; Coastal Oceans Research and Development Indian Ocean (CORDIO), Western Indian Ocean; and the Laborie Development Foundation.
Special thanks were extended to Local partners namely; Laborie Cooperative Credit Union, Heineken Saint Lucia, the Laborie Augier Constituency Council, the Honourable Alva R. Baptiste, the Small Business Development Centre, the Community Tourism Agency. Contributors such as Travish Harry, Brian Evans and Sherville Charles, Rhikkie Alexander, Vanguard Virtuals, and Hands Together for a Cleaner Laborie were also recognised.
The ceremony closed with music and a powerful call to action: “Together for a sustainable future.” This was more than the end of a project — it was the beginning of a new chapter for Laborie, where community, sustainability, and culture come together to shape a resilient tourism future.
