On Thursday, Julien Alfred formally accepted the role of Tourism Ambassador for Saint Lucia.
In a ceremony held at The Harbor Club in Gros Islet, the 23-year-old Olympic medallist expressed awe at the outpouring of support she has received since arriving in Saint Lucia on Tuesday—revealing too that her appointment as Ambassador is a significant milestone.
“Right now, I’m not sure which one means the most to me, winning the Olympic gold or just being an ambassador for Saint Lucia,” she shared, rousing the room to applause before adding, “I am a proud Saint Lucian, and it’s always an honour representing Saint Lucia on a global stage no matter where I go and I will never switch my allegiance, ever.”
According to tourism officials, the ambassadorship was arranged by the Minister of Tourism, Heritage and Creative Industries, Dr. Ernest Hilaire—who was said to have led negotiations with Puma’s representative and Alfred’s manager, Henry Rolle.
As an ambassador, Alfred will make personal appearances on behalf of the Saint Lucia Tourism Authority (SLTA) and for their collaborative campaigns with associated agencies, including Invest Saint Lucia, the Cultural Development Foundation, the Events Company of Saint Lucia, and Export Saint Lucia.
The SLTA expects Alfred’s first event appearance to be the upcoming World Travel Market in November.
Alfred will also be interviewed across mediums and appear in advertising campaigns and on collateral material on the SLTA’s websites.
Thaddeus Antoine, SLTA’s Chairman: “…But for us, the crème de la crème is the co-branding. When she competes at the World Championships or Olympics, she competes under the banner of Saint Lucia… we’re going to co-brand Julien along with Puma.”
Antoine explained that the star athlete’s branded tracksuits would continue to feature the Puma logo on one side of her jersey while the SLTA’s logo featuring Saint Lucia’s iconic twin peaks would dawn the other.
Her branded clothing, particularly warmup and press outfits, will feature QR code marketing.
During his speech, Alfred’s Manager, Henry Rolle, revealed high interest in collaborating with Julien and Puma.
He said, “The branding for the second logo, she had many choices and Puma had many choices also, and some even wanted to bid but Puma decided that no, we wanted something that she truly loves, and she truly loves Saint Lucia.”
Rolle added, “We’ve had the opportunity to work with a lot of fast individuals and … special, gifted individuals, but everybody loves Julien at Puma. Her personality is so inviting, she embraces the brand, and she truly is an ambassador for Puma. We will truly embrace this partnership and amplify Saint Lucia.”
At Thursday’s ceremony, Alfred received an honorary Gimmie Award—a local accolade for excellence in the hospitality industry, original artwork by Christie Gustave, and lifetime membership for the Iyanola Lounge at the Hewanorra International Airport.
Holding back tears during her speech, the Olympic Champion shared, “[I was] just a young girl from Ciceron, just trying to find her way, figure out life as she goes along, just not knowing where she would end up. And now, being an ambassador for such a beautiful country with lovely people as well, I just feel so honoured right now and it warms my heart and I just feel blessed to be able to represent a nation of lovely people.”
