Julien Alfred is again making global headlines following her presence at the recently concluded World Travel Market (WTM) earlier this month.
The 23-year-old, two-time Olympic medallist sprinter represented the island at the WTM in London, marking her debut as an official travel ambassador for Saint Lucia.
Tourism Minister Dr Ernest Hilaire, who also attended the event, lauded the athlete’s poise and professionalism.
“We attended the World Travel Market in London, which is one of the largest tourism trade shows. Our featured person was Julien Alfred. As you know, she’s a tourism ambassador, and she definitely made us proud,” Hilaire told Monday’s pre-cabinet briefing. “Her contribution during that week was outstanding.
“Not only was she understanding, meeting people, talking about Saint Lucia, and of course taking photos, she visited a couple of schools in London meeting young people, and the schools themselves have children of Saint Lucian descendants. She also hosted a number of events for travel agents for tour operators. That was one of the best world travel markets that we’ve ever attended, and Saint Lucia certainly starred at that event,” the Minister stated.
WTM is one of the biggest events on the international tourism calendar.
The globally recognised annual event brings together professionals from the travel and tourism industry to network, negotiate, and discuss trends shaping the sector.
The gathering serves as a networking hub and offers destination marketing opportunities for countries.
Typically, household names serve as ambassadors for destinations. These high-profile individuals can come from various fields, such as travel, entertainment, sports, or business, helping draw attention to the event while promoting its themes and goals.
For Saint Lucia, Alfred’s presence was significant. As far as local officials are concerned, the Ciceron native’s contributions to the island’s marketability on the global stage cannot be overstated.
Following Alfred’s Olympic gold medal-winning performance in Paris, Saint Lucia became the second most-searched country on Google, highlighting her impact.
As Alfred continues to shine on the global stage, the intersection of sports and tourism development is becoming increasingly apparent.
