Arsenal Announces Saint Lucia Tourism Partnership as Caribbean Island Targets Global Visitors.

Roger Hampel

Image: Arsenal

Saint Lucia Tourism Authority has signed a multi-year global partnership with Arsenal, becoming the club’s Official Destination Partner from the 2026/27 season.

The agreement gives Saint Lucia access to one of football’s largest international fanbases, with particular relevance in the United Kingdom, already one of the Caribbean island’s key tourism markets.

Tourism Boards Continue to Use Football as Global Media Platform Arsenal

Destination partnerships have become a familiar category in football sponsorship. For tourism boards, football clubs offer access to large, emotionally engaged audiences across multiple markets. The attraction is not only stadium visibility, but also digital reach, content production, hospitality, supporter travel and international campaigns.

Saint Lucia’s agreement with Arsenal follows a model increasingly used by destinations that want to compete for attention in crowded travel markets.

The island, with a population of around 180,500, is seeking to showcase its beaches, rainforests, volcanic landscape, culture and events calendar to a global audience. The Arsenal platform gives the tourism authority exposure across Emirates Stadium, Arsenal’s men’s and women’s teams, cup matches and the club’s digital channels.

UK Market at the Centre of the Strategy

The United Kingdom is one of Saint Lucia’s most important tourism markets, making Arsenal a commercially logical partner. Premier League clubs remain powerful marketing vehicles for destinations because they combine domestic UK visibility with global broadcast and digital distribution.

The partnership will amplify Saint Lucia’s “Let Her Inspire You” campaign through Arsenal’s men’s and women’s first teams, while also creating opportunities for international promotions and supporter engagement. For a small island economy, the objective is clear: use football’s scale to strengthen the tourism funnel from awareness to travel intent.

Executive Comments

Dr. Ernest Hilaire, Saint Lucia’s Minister for Tourism, Commerce, Investment, Creative Industries, Culture and Heritage, said the partnership aligns the island with a club that has a loyal global supporter base.

“We look forward to showcasing Saint Lucia’s vibrant culture, dynamic events calendar and natural beauty to Arsenal supporters worldwide.”

Juliet Slot, Chief Commercial Officer at Arsenal, said the agreement fits the club’s objective of making supporters across different markets feel connected to Arsenal.

“We want every Gooner, whether they're in Islington or Saint Lucia, whether they've been supporting us for fifty years or five, to feel and see themselves in our club.”

Academy Hub Adds Development Angle

The agreement also includes plans to support the development of an Academy Hub in Saint Lucia.

The hub is intended to create mentorship opportunities and development pathways for young players, adding a football development component to a partnership primarily built around destination marketing.

Source of quotations: Arsenal.com. Quotations reproduced with permission as stated in Arsenal Football Club's official release.