Sustainable Tourism in the Greater Caribbean and the Way Forward: Advancements on programmes to be discussed at the 23rd Meeting of the Special Committee on Sustainable Tourism
Port of Spain (June 08, 2012) – On June 28th and 29th in Nicaragua, High _ level Tourism Officials from the Greater Caribbean will convene at the 23rd Meeting of the Special Committee on Sustainable Tourism (SCST-23), to discuss matters pertaining to the Association of Caribbean States (ACS) Agenda as it relates to the sustainable development of tourism in the greater Caribbean, including the advances and way forward on issues such as regional collaboration in the area of Cruise Tourism as well as the Promotion of Languages and Cultures of the Greater Caribbean.
The Special Committee on Sustainable Tourism meetings held annually gathers not only High level Authorities and Tourism Officials from ACS Members and Associate Member States Countries but representatives from regional and international organisations such as the UNWTO, SITCA and CTO. The main focus of this gathering being the facilitation of mutually-beneficial multi-lateral dialogue aimed at strengthening cooperation mechanisms in this most critical area.
For a second year under the guidance provided by the Republic of Nicaragua, as Chair of the Special Committee on Sustainable Tourism, it is expected to explore avenues for the promotion, growth and sustainability of the Regional Tourism Industry.
Other topics tabled for discussion include analysis of the proposal for the convening of the 2nd Forum of Airlines and Tourism Executives for the promotion of Multi-destination Tourism in the Greater Caribbean, and presentation of initiatives to advance the establishment of the Regional Tourism Safety and Security Network (RTSSN). On the second day of the meeting, June 29th, preliminary discussions on organising the ACS 3rd Meeting of Ministers of Tourism of the Greater Caribbean (TMM-3), will also take place.
This meeting will be presided by the Minister of the Nicaraguan Tourism Institute, the Honourable, Mario Salinas assisted by representatives of the Vice-Chairs of this Committee Martinique and the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, and the Republic of Suriname as Rapporteur.
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.