The Saint Lucia Tourist Board (SLTB) has announced its second quarter North American Saint Lucia Piton Award winners. Canadian winners in April, May, and June include Alice Budd of DiNamic Travel, Lois Barbour of Travel Time TPI, and Annette Hines of Carlson Wagonlit Travel, respectively. Linda Harger of Sunbeam Travel served as the U.S. winner in both April and May.

The awards recognize top booking travel agents and agencies as part of the Preferred Agent Saint Lucia Specialist (PASS) education and training program; agents who are members of PASS receive $500 for themselves and for their agency. The top ten agents per region who record the highest bookings will win a weekend for two in Saint Lucia to attend the Grand Piton Awards Ceremony, taking place in March 2015.

“Saint Lucia’s natural beauty and lush landscape practically sell itself,” said Alice Budd of Ontario-based DiNamic Travel. “The resources available through the Preferred Agent Saint Lucia Specialist program have played a significant role in delivering exceptional client experiences.”

“From a drive-in volcano to sparkling waterfalls, Saint Lucia’s varied landscape delivers much more variety than most Caribbean destinations,” said Linda Harger of Pennsylvania-based Sunbeam Travel. “The island’s culture and traditions, cuisine, and majestic scenery create a lasting impression.”

“The Piton Award recipients represent an elite category of travel partners,” said Tracey Warner Arnold, deputy director of tourism for the Saint Lucia Tourist Board. “These individuals have produced the highest number of Canadian and U.S. bookings; the Tourist Board is pleased to honor their contributions to Saint Lucia’s travel industry.”

To be eligible, agents must complete the Saint Lucia Specialist Course, attend a Saint Lucia presentation at least once per year, visit the island (on an SLTB coordinated familiarization tour or individual trip) and regularly update bookings online.

The PASS program offers several benefits including:

• Personalized PASS marketing tools

• Complimentary and discounted FAMs

• Listing on SLTB website

• Access to thousands of travelers from the SLTB via live chats on stlucianow.com

• Complimentary site inspections

• Featured spots within the SLTB monthly e-newsletter

• A chance to win an all expense, all-inclusive trip for two 

For more information on PASS and the Piton Awards, travel agents can contact a North America-based Saint Lucia representative:

Mid Atlantic

Hortensia Joseph

Phone: 908-486-2559

Email: sltbtensia@aol.com

North East/West Coast

Lorine Charles-St. Jules

Phone: 908-686-4164

Email: sltbne@aol.com

Canada

Alison Theodore

Phone: 800-869-0377  

Email: atheodore@stlucia.org

Mid West

Ingrid Stewart

Phone: 708-922-0369

Email: sltbmidwest@aol.com

South East/South West

Kelly Fontenelle- Clarke
Phone: 678-377-0170

Email: kfontenelle@stlucia.org 

For more information about the island of Saint Lucia, call 1-800-456-3984, 1-888-4STLUCIA, 1-800-869-0377 in Canada, or visit http://stlucianow.com

SOURCE: Saint Lucia press release