International Sailing Week to be staged in SVG from 2024

Plans are being put in place for the staging of the first ever International Sailing Week in 2024.

Disclosure of this came from Minister of Tourism Carlos James in Parliament on September 7.

The minister was at the time replying to a question from Opposition Leader Dr Godwin Friday about the staging of the Bequia Easter Regatta.

According to the minister, meetings have already been held with key stakeholders in some of the Grenadine islands and consultations will be taken to Bequia in the coming weeks.

James said this event will include participation from Bequia, Mayreau, Canouan and Union Island.

He explained that the Sailing Week has the potential to expand the scope of the regatta on each island.

The planned International Sailing Week will be a much bigger event, which will attract more visitors and become an ideal marketing tool for the Grenadines as a destination.

Minister James made it clear that the Sailing Week is not intended to replace the Bequia Easter Regatta, but to host a series of activities around the marine sector, from Bequia to Union Island.

The Tourism Minister added that the Bequia Regatta saw a fall off because of the Covid-19 pandemic, to the point where there have been much fewer activities in the last two years.

The minister is hopeful that the International Sailing Week will add value to our existing tourism product.