Prime Minister Hon. Allen Chastanet and Minister for Tourism, Information and Broadcasting, Hon. Dominic Fedee, recently announced a Village Tourism Project to be undertaken in the communities of Gros Islet, Anse La Raye and Soufriere.

Under the Village Tourism project, each village will have its own theme, such as wellness, art and craft, and local traditions.

With the help of low-interest financing supported by the government, property owners in each village will be encouraged to upgrade their homes and properties to make them suitable accommodations for visitors.

All owners will be licensed and will undergo training to ensure that the accommodations and services are at the same level as they would be at a hotel or resort. Local owners will also be supported with branding, marketing, sales, customer service and accounting systems.

The Minister for Tourism, who is also the Parliamentary Representative for Anse-La-Raye/ Canaries informed that to commence the village tourism project in the community of Anse La Raye, the following improvements will be made: the upgrading of the jetty, installation of moorings, upgrading of the fish fry vending stalls, conversion of the old police station to include government offices, the creation of waterfront local seafood restaurants, bars and a café, the upgrading of the village square, and the development of a carnival tour.