The Caribbean is observing World Tourism Day on Tuesday, September 27 with the region’s premier stakeholders staging various activities to mark the occasion.
The Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association, CHTA is using the observance to reflect on the significant contribution tourism has made to the socioeconomic development of the Caribbean while focusing on the challenges and opportunities the industry presents for the future.
“Tourism has been the main driver in propelling Caribbean economies, creating new entrepreneurial opportunities; building upward mobility; broadening the skills and ingenuity of our peoples; celebrating and showcasing Caribbean culture, cuisine, nature and entertainment; and improving our capacity to rebound from crises and challenging situations,” said CHTA President Nicola Madden-Greig.
She said coming out of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, tourism stakeholders must utilize the lessons learned to re-imagine the current approach to Caribbean tourism.
She is endorsing a statement by United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres who said tourism is a powerful driver for sustainable development that contributes to the education and empowerment of women and youth and advances the socioeconomic and cultural development of communities.
She said tourism contributes more than 40 percent of the gross domestic product (GDP) to most Caribbean economies, with a number of destinations exceeding 60 percent.
According to the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) Caribbean Economic Impact Report issued last June, the Caribbean can expand tourism’s contribution to GDP, employment and revenue retention and expansion by working together to address the myriad aforementioned challenges.
Meanwhile, Jamaica’s Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett noted that amid the uncertainties that have characterized the current post-COVID-19 period, an unprecedented opportunity has been presented to rethink strategies for building the resilience of Jamaica’s tourism industry.
He said the Ministry of Tourism has always advocated for a sector that is economically sustainable, socially inclusive, and environmentally friendly.
“However, the COVID-19 crisis has accelerated our commitment to rethinking tourism to maximize its contribution to the social and economic well-being of the nation and its citizens,” Bartlett said, joining the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and the global community in celebrating the significance of World Tourism Day.
Bartlett said this year’s World Tourism Day theme will also guide Jamaica’s activities for Tourism Awareness Week (TAW), which ends October 1.
“Together with our committed tourism partners, we are charting an effective course towards sustainable recovery that is enabling the tourism industry to rebound in a big way. This is imperative because Jamaica’s tourism industry is a key source of income, employment, and wealth for the country.”
Bartlett said that the industry generates direct employment for 175,000 Jamaicans and indirect employment for over 354,000 others, including hotel workers, farmers, craft vendors, entertainers, and transportation operators.
CMC/
