Lorine Charles-St. Jules, former CEO of SLTA, passes away

Saint Lucia and the greater travel and tourism industry are mourning the loss of Lorine Charles-St. Jules, the former CEO of the Saint Lucia Tourism Authority (SLTA), as news of her passing surfaced on Friday morning (Nov. 15).

Charles-St. Jules began her tenure as SLTA’s CEO in February 2022 and was widely respected for her contributions to Saint Lucia’s tourism industry, which included sales missions to Canada. She served as CEO until May 31, 2024.

In a post to social media, Saint Lucia’s Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre paid tribute to Charles-St. Jules, saying:

“To have known Lorine is to know someone who loved living. Lorine Charles-St.Jules was a fierce and loyal friend, devoted to her family and the consummate professional.” 

“I was happy when Lorine decided to come back home to officially serve her country as the CEO of the Saint Lucia Tourism Authority (SLTA). Her legacy is strong and is evidenced by our record-breaking achievements in the sector and new initiatives to integrate more local experiences into the tourism product.

“To her husband Cecil, strength and courage my brother, I am truly sorry for your loss. To her family, friends, colleagues and staff of the SLTA, my sincerest condolences to you.” 

Beyond her time at the SLTA, Charles-St. Jules had more than two decades of leadership experience in the tourism industry.

She served as CEO of PeaEye 7 Marketing International, a global marketing agency, for five years, where she led business development and resort marketing across the Caribbean, the U.S., and Canada.

She was also once a USA Account Manager for the Anguilla Tourist Board.

In professional circles, she’s remembered for her expertise in executing business strategy across many facets of the tourism industry, including marketing destinations, developing sales programming for luxury resorts, and global travel trade management.

Before becoming CEO of the ALTA, she held other executive positions at the organization, including director of marketing. She was also a tourism planning officer for the Saint Lucia Ministry of Tourism.

In a statement posted to social media, The Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) said it was deeply saddened to learn of Charles-St. Jules’ passing.

“Lorine was our dear colleague and indefatigable champion of Caribbean tourism, and it was our distinct honour to shine a spotlight on her earlier this year during Women’s History Month,” the organization wrote. “We are forever indebted to her for the insight and intelligence she so freely shared with us over many decades. May she rest in eternal peace.”

Minister of Tourism, Investment, Creative Industries, Culture & Information, Hon. Dr. Ernest Hilaire, added: 

"Lorine Charles-St. Jules was a beacon of dedication and vision for Saint Lucia's tourism industry. Her leadership during the reopening of the island after one of the most difficult global crises in modern times demonstrated her understanding of resilience and ability to transform challenges into opportunities. She understood that it was a historic opportunity to transform the industry. Her legacy will forever be part of the foundation upon which the future of Saint Lucia's tourism is built."

Don't miss a single travel story: subscribe to PAX today!  Click here to follow PAX on Facebook.