BRIDGETOWN, Barbados – Sustainable tourism can be a source of competitive advantage for the region as more visitors choose to invest in green vacations, according to the chairman of the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO), Beverly Nicholson-Doty.
In a message to mark World Tourism Day today, the CTO chairman challenged regional decision-makers to ensure visitors enjoy a sustainable tourism product.
World Tourism Day, proclaimed by the global tourism body, the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), will focus on the worldโs precious water resources, their role in tourism and all that can be done to protect them to the benefit of future generations.
โIncreasingly visitors are becoming conscious of their carbon footprint when they travel. We need to ensure that they view the Caribbean as a desirable location, where they can engage in initiatives such as agro-tourism, educational tours, volunteer opportunities and other sustainable activities while they are on holiday,โ Ms. Nicholson-Doty said.
She reiterated the CTOโs commitment to leading sustainable tourism through a number of programs including standard setting and certification; the annual Sustainable Tourism Conference (STC); and the Caribbean Hotel Energy Efficiency Action Program (CHENACT), which the CTO has managed in conjunction with the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) since 2009.
The latter is a public-private sector program sponsored by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) that has saved regionโs hotel sector over US$270 million annually in utility costs.
Ms. Nicolson-Doty challenged governments, private sector partners and Caribbean communities to work together to ensure sustainable tourism moves from a theoretical concept to become a part of our daily operational practices.
โWe need a multi-sectorial approach โ combining public policy and incentives; private-sector financing and endorsement; backed by effective community and visitor education and awareness programs,โ she said.
World Tourism Day is observed on September 27 each year.