The world is catching on to the joys of St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

Tourism officials from this beautiful Caribbean country were in Toronto yesterday to talk up the wonderful nature, fantastic festivals and warm, welcoming people of their destination.

Air Canada began flying to the island directly from Toronto last year. Flights will begin again in October, with one flight a week, increasing to two flights a week from December until late April, said Glen Beache, CEO, St. Vincent and the Grenadines Tourism Authority.

Some 8,000 Canadians visited St. Vincent and the Grenadines last year. Overall, visits last year rose to just over 303,000; up 33.4 per cent from 2016. Cruise passenger visits soared by 75 per cent last year.

“We want it to be a secret, but not too much of a secret,” Beache said with a smile. “It’s for people who want a true Caribbean experience.”

I’ve been to St. Vincent once and to the Grenadines twice. St. Vincent has beautiful waterfalls and rugged mountains, as well as several great beaches. The Grenadines are famous for their beaches, as well as for sailing in places like The Tobago Cays. To me, Saltwhistle Bay on the island of Mayreau might be the prettiest beach on the planet.

“There are 32 islands and cays, so there is always a different experience to be had,” said the Honourable Cecil McKie, Minister of Tourism, Sports and Culture. “St. Vincent and the Grenadines arguably offer the most diverse tourism product in the region.”

No one wants to play favourites, but McKie said he loves the laid-back nature of Bequia, where you can take a lovely boardwalk trip from the town of Port Elizabeth to lovely Princess Margaret Beach.

Beache said he loves Union Island in the Grenadines. “It’s a got a great feel about it and the people are wonderful. It’s very quaint.”

Beache said Mandarin Oriental recently opened a posh hotel on the island of Canouan; the first Mandarin Oriental in the Caribbean.

The Caribbean is famous for its festivals, but St. Vincent’s annual summer Carnival is known as the hottest of the bunch, said Ricardo Adams, Chairman, Carnival Development Corporation.

“You’ll find everything from cultural events to beads and feathers,” he said. “It’s very safe, extremely high energy and intimate.”

Next year’s Carnival, known as Vincy Mas, will be held June 28 to July 9.

When he’s not taking part in the carnival, Adams said he enjoys a hike to the top of the volcano on St. Vincent, followed by a soak at the island’s famous salt water ponds.

Shelley John, director of sales, Canada, St. Vincent and the Grenadines Tourism Office, said Canadian travel agents can attend special information sessions on the destination from Sept. 24 to 28. Events will be held in Niagara Falls, Oakville, Kingston, Ottawa and Montreal, she said.

Beache said new hotels are on the way for the destination, as well as added American Airlines flights out of Miami. There’s also a glistening new marina on Canouan called Glossy Bay that can accommodate so-called “super yachts.”

For more information, visit www.discoversvg.com,

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Union Island, St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

St. Vincent and the Grenadines Tourism officials were in Toronto this week to talk about their special slice of the Caribbean.

For more on this story go to: https://ca.travelpulse.com/news/destinations/st-vincent-and-the-grenadines-a-growing-caribbean-tourism-force.html