ACS Participates in the 64th Meeting of the UNWTO Regional Commission for the Americas
The Association of Caribbean States (ACS) participated in the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) 64th Meeting of the Regional Commission for the Americas and International Seminar on Destination Management – New Challenges, New Solutions which was held in Guatemala City and La Antigua, Republic of Guatemala from May 15th - 16th, 2019 respectively.
The Directorate for Trade and Sustainable Development, through its Director, Mr. José Miguel Rovira González, and Advisor, Ms. Tanya Amaya Castro, represented the ACS at the aforementioned Meeting and Seminar.
The two-day international event hosted many countries and organisations across the Americas region, and discussed issues affecting tourism and destination management. Topics included “Public Policy and Instruments in Managing Tourism Sustainably” and a presentation by the UNWTO.QUEST on the Certification System addressed to Destination Management Organisations which highlighted two pilot studies to assess its implementation in the cities of Punta del Este, Uruguay and Córdoba, Argentina. This system seeks to strengthen the Destination Management Organisations focusing on governance, competitiveness and management skills.
The Report of the Secretary-General of the UNWTO highlighted a general increase in international tourist arrivals but pointed out that the Americas Region had a below world average increase of three percent (3%). It projected, however, that for 2020, the Region should experience a continued positive growth of two to three percent (2-3%).
The Meeting also elaborated on topics such as the inclusion of innovation and digital transformation in the tourism sector, including its benefits to the Macro, Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (MSMEs); the creation of more and better jobs in the Tourism Sector, with a focus on education and developing a sustainable employment environment in the sector; as well as providing a safe, seamless and secure travel as part of the tourism package.
The Directorate for Trade and Sustainable Development of the ACS has already advanced on these topics including videoconferences on the importance of technology and certifications as well as technological workshops for the Regional Network of Artisans in Tourism of the Greater Caribbean under its Community-Based Tourism Programmatic Area. Also under this Directorate’s Work Programme are the topics of Technical Vocational Education and Training as well as Tourism Safety and Security and Resilience.
The Association of Caribbean States is the organization for consultation, cooperation and concerted action in trade, transport, sustainable tourism and natural disasters in the Greater Caribbean. Its Member States are Antigua & Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, Jamaica, Nicaragua, Panama, St. Kitts & Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad & Tobago and Venezuela. Its Associate Members are Aruba, Curacao, (France on behalf of French Guiana, Saint Barthelemy and Saint Martin ), Guadeloupe, Martinique, Sint Maarten, (The Netherlands on behalf of Bonaire, Saba, and Sint Eustatius ), Turks and Caicos.