St. Lucia Aerial Tram to Be Launched in March

An aerial tramway that will give visitors a tour of St. Lucia´s mountains and rain forest should be up and running by early March, officials said Thursday.

The tramway, stretching across 1,200 acres (485 hectares), will carry passengers in gondolas on a one-hour ride over the rain forest canopy and through the mountains of northern St. Lucia. Twenty-two open-air gondolas will seat eight passengers and a guide.

The project´s cost was expected to be $6.5 million, according to Herena Cao, CEO of the tram builder, Rainforest Sky Rides. Some ticket revenues will go to conservation efforts, said Tourism Minister Phillip Pierre.

Tourism revenues in the island of 166,000 reached nearly $300 million last year. The island was expecting more tourism growth, with the opening of several hotels for the 2007 cricket World Cup. The tram project should be completed by March 7, the company said.