St. Lucia thanks Winehouse for publicity

St. Lucia's tourism chief has publicly thanked Amy Winehouse for boosting the nation's profile.

The 'Rehab' singer arrived on the Caribbean island in December and her vacation has generated a wealth of headlines across the world.

Recent reports include speculation that she is romancing a new man, has been refused alcohol by the hotel management, and that she threw a glass of water over another tourist.

However, tourism minister Allen Chastanet has thanked the star for bringing publicity to the island.

Yesterday, he told a TV station that most pictures of Winehouse showed her smiling and talking with the locals, which was proving to have a positive impact on the island.

He added that the government had sent her a gift basket filled with local products, saying: "Any edge you can get, you hang on to it."

Tourism is vital to the economy of St. Lucia, which has a population of around 160,000.