The St. Lucia Hotel and Tourism Association (SLHTA) successfully staged its fourth annual Rhythm & Spice Festival on Sunday, 25^th July 2010.  The Beausejour Cricket Ground came alive with a showcase of the best of Saint Lucia’s food, drinks, entertainment, educational opportunities and hospitality service offerings.  The event witnessed twenty-three (23) participating SLHTA members including hotels, restaurants, allied members, the Saint Lucia Tourist Board and three (3) educational institutions. The event stimulated much interest and collaboration among and between the SLHTA’s membership and the wider public.

 Over one thousand patrons sampled the mouth watering food and beverage on offer and were thoroughly entertained by the diverse selection of local artists, entertainers and fashion that graced the stage at the Festival.  The hospitality careers exhibition, featuring key employment opportunities in Saint Lucia’s dynamic tourism industry, was also a big hit with young persons exploring avenues for scholarships and further studies.  A main feature of the event was a culinary competition among hotels, restaurants and beverage companies from which creole food and beverages were sampled by a panel of judges and the general public.  

 The results of the culinary competition are as follows:

• “Best Innovative Dish â€�- Ladera Resort
•  “Best Meal Presentation“- The Landings St. Lucia (A Rock Resort)
•  “Best Tasting Food  â€�- The Edge Restaurant
•  “Best Booth Design â€�- Sandals Resorts International
•  “Cleanest Booth â€�- Windjammer Landing Villa Beach Resort
•  “Best Innovative Drink â€�- St. Lucia Distillers
•  “Best Team Spirit â€�-Windjammer Landing Villa Beach Resort
•  “Spirit of Rhythm & Spice â€� – Sandals Resorts International
•  “Overall Winner â€� – Windjammer Landing Villa Beach Resort

 In addition to the raffling of a number of hotel stays, dinners, day passes, tours and excursions, three (3) door prizes were given out to patrons for the Best Creole Outfit (Overall); Best Creole Outfit (female) and Best Creole Outfit (Child). The SLHTA would like to express its sincere thanks to the dedicated team of volunteers, entertainers, patrons and the invaluable contribution of all the participating members and allied businesses, which helped to make this event successful.