Pirate's life for you

There's treasure around every corner for Ed Elliot in flourishing St Vincent, a true Caribbean star

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Hi, I'm Ralph," says a gregarious figure with warm eyes and salt and pepper hair as he crosses the terminal of Argyle International Airport. His presence piques the interest of waiting passengers and soon a small crowd - some seeking selfies - gathers for a glimpse.

The casual opening remark belies the man's status but, given he has been Prime Minister of St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) for 24 years, Ralph Gonsalves requires little introduction here in his homeland.

South of St Lucia, west of Barbados and north of Grenada, I am in St Vincent (the largest of SVG's 32 islands) to sample the delights of a destination emerging from the shadow of the Caribbean's holiday giants.

Tourism in this volcanic former British colony erupted last year, increasing by 25% to 101,471 overnight visitors - a figure similar to the country's modest population.

Mr Gonsalves was instrumental in creating the nation's first international airport - where our chance encounter takes place - and quips "love is in the air" as he recalls its inaugural flight on Valentine's Day 2017.

The 78-year-old also cut the ribbon last March at the official opening of Sandals, a luxury all-inclusive resort directly responsible for the recent influx of travellers, which is accessible via direct flights of approximately 11 hours from Heathrow.

I check in to the sprawling five-star retreat - the first such property on St Vincent and the newest of the chain's 17 adults-only hotels spread across eight Caribbean islands - the day after its first anniversary.

Cradled by lush mountains, there are 301 rooms and suites, including 10 lavish two-storey overwater villas, four swimming pools and a spa set amid a 50-acre site looking out over Buccament Bay.

So, why should sunseekers venture to this lesser-known corner of the Caribbean Sea?