St Lucia’s tourism industry is facing challenges due to the exit of Virgin Atlantic and TUI from direct London routes, raising questions about the island’s evolving tourism brand and market positioning.
Virgin Atlantic has scrapped its winter 2025/26 service from London Heathrow, while TUI will halt its Gatwick-Saint Lucia route by the end of next month.
The departures highlight a shrinking inventory of family-friendly accommodations and Saint Lucia’s rapid transition toward luxury tourism, which risks pricing out key segments of its traditional visitor base.
Tourism Minister Dr Ernest Hilaire cited a “perfect storm” of factors behind Virgin Atlantic’s exit, including a mismatch between the airline’s family-focused UK market and the Saint Lucian market’s growing preference for couples-only resorts. About 500 rooms, previously tied to mid-tier properties like Starfish and Mystique, have vanished from the market, tightening supply.
The government is promoting alternative accommodations like home rentals and advocating for more 2- and 4-star hotels to diversify offerings. Virgin Atlantic is expected to return once room capacity expands, but the government does not provide minimum revenue guarantees to airlines.
The Saint Lucia Tourism Authority (SLTA) has emphasized that TUI holidays will still be bookable via connecting flights.