A new vision for the communities of St Lucia

Robin Smith, head of Host Universal a company which pioneers in ethical communications and brand strategy, writes for OBV about the work being done to revitalise tourism in St Lucia to the benifit of the local community.

Having been adversely affected by the deterioration of the banana industry over the past fifteen years, the communities of Dennery & Mabouya, Saint Lucia, are now looking to become a showcase for community based tourism.

Working with Host Universal, the UK based pioneer in ethical communications, the project’s aim is to facilitate a vibrant local economy, restore traditional values and rebuild community confidence through an unprecedented reawakening of its culture, while providing new economic opportunities for the local people.

With 14 years experience working with values driven businesses and organisations and its work in Fair Trade with cooperatives across Africa, Asia and South America, Host feel that it has both the passion and the credentials to do a good job for these communities.

Knowing the project will only succeed if local residents take ownership of the Dennery & Mabouya brand, Host have been working closely with the local community from day one, recruiting local talent into the team, and beginning the process of creating the brand strategy and tools to bring the project to life with a series of in-depth key-stakeholder interviews, workshops and surveys in the community; gathering as much learning and insight into the issues and potential opportunities as possible.

Early signs are that the people of Dennery & Mabouya are excited about this initiative that will open up enterprise and give new hope for the future of this beautiful part of the Caribbean.

Robin Smith

CEO of Host Universal