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The Eastern Caribbean Central Bank has urged St Lucia to take advantage of Olympics champion Julien Alfred’s new status to boost the country’s economy through sports tourism.
Julien Alfred’s new status as a superstar in her country St Lucia and the Eastern Caribbean has now seen a new push to use her as the face of sports tourism in region to boost the economy.
Eastern Caribbean Central Bank Director Timothy Antoine has told the region’s economic stakeholders to consider tapping into the potential of sports tourism now that they have a global superstar after Alfred became the first St Lucian to win an Olympics medal.
Alfred claimed gold in 100m before adding silver in 200m and has become a cult hero in St Lucia and the Caribbean, something Antoine feels can be harnessed to attract more tourism revenue to the country and the region.
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10:19 - 20.09.2024
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“Following the recent success of Ms Julien Alfred at the Summer Olympics in Paris, sports should be deployed as a channel for collaboration, conflict resolution and national pride as well as for economic growth through sports tourism,” Antoine said during a recent regional economic retreat.
“This would require building out the sporting infrastructure at national and community level. The ECCB is currently working on a policy paper exploring the use of sports as a deterrence for crime.”
St Lucia has been reaping the benefits of Alfred’s Olympics heroics with an increase in tourism numbers to the island nation recorded thanks to the sprinter.
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06:00 - 16.09.2024
Julien Alfred: The new queen of 100m?
St Lucia’s Julien Alfred started the year as just an ordinary athlete but she ends her season as one of the biggest stars who can now not escape the scrutiny and weight of expectations.
The regional bank is seeking ways to double the size of St Lucia’s economy in the next 10 years from $5.74 billion as per 2023 figures, to $11.48 billion in 2033, and Alfred can help boost the numbers if she continues winning medals on the track.
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