Anguilla News covers Anguilla
 |
|
Anguilla News
Bridging
Gaps & Expanding Horizons. |
|
|
|
|
|
Anguilla News covers Anguilla and the wider
Caribbean.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
x |
|
|
|
TOURISM
INNOVATION TALKS SET FOR ST. LUCIA |
 December
7, 2007 - Participants at Counterpart International's
Caribbean Media Exchange on Sustainable Tourism (CMEx)
assembling in St. Lucia are eagerly awaiting news of how
their destinations rank against other tourism locations.
James Dion (Caption photo), Associate Director of the
National Geographic Center for Sustainable Destinations,
will deliver the rankings of the Caribbean destinations from
National Geographic's annual Destination Scorecard survey,
which reflects evaluations made by a panel of well-traveled
experts representing a variety of fields, including ecology,
sustainable tourism, geography, travel writing and
photography, site management, historic preservation,
indigenous cultures and archaeology.
The Washington DC-based Dion said small island developing
states in the Caribbean performed well, but challenges
remain. "Many of these places are managing their
destinations very positively," said Dion, pointing to
Dominica and the Grenadines which scored high marks on the
survey designed to highlight issues of stewardship, put them
on the table for public discussion and facilitate ways for
destinations to improve. |
Advertisement - Article continues
below
|
He pointed to
challenges in managing growth as destinations could quickly
become spoiled if they lose their "sense of place." "The
greatest asset the Caribbean has is the unique sense of
place - the question we must ask is how do we preserve the
cultural scape while taking advantage of the economic
opportunities offered by tourism."
The Caribbean's top tourism personalities will open the 11th
full edition of CMEx in St. Lucia on Friday morning.
Secretary General of the Caribbean Tourism Organization,
Bahamian Vincent Vanderpool-Wallace, and Chairman of the
Caribbean Hotel Association Berthia Parle of St. Lucia's Bay
Gardens Resorts start the discourse at the newly opened Palm
Haven boutique hotel in the north of the island as delegates
examine the theme, "Caribbean Tourism: Another Level of
Innovation."
The opening session, to be moderated by television
personality and travel professional Andria Hall, who also is
an author and a former CNN news anchor, will also feature
Patrick Cozier, Secretary General of the Caribbean
Broadcasting Union.
Matthew Sams, Vice President of Caribbean Relations of
Holland America, will update participants on the new
direction of the cruise industry. Also, Caroline Racine,
Director of Caribbean Franchise Development for Choice
Hotels speaks on branding as an innovative approach to
operating hotels.
The Caribbean Media Exchange launched by Counterpart
International in 2001, has attracted reporters, editors,
young people and development specialists as well as
representatives of the hospitality sector, civil society and
government. Key is examining how tourism policies can be
aimed at improving the lives of Caribbean people.
The meeting is supported by Air Jamaica, Almond Resorts,
Anse Chastanet & Jade Mountain, Association of Caribbean
Media Workers, Barbara Pyle Foundation, Bay Gardens Resorts,
Bermuda Department of Tourism, BET J, Carnival Sailing,
Caribbean Broadcasting Union, Caribbean Tourism
Organization, Caribbean World News Network, Choice Hotels,
Coco Resorts, Counterpart Caribbean, Florida-Caribbean
Cruise Association, Half Moon, Harry Edwards Jewelers, Palm
Haven Hotel, Royal St. Lucian, Ruder Finn, Sandals Resorts,
Scotiabank, SpeakEasy M.E.D.I.A., St. Lucia Golf Club/ Cap
Estate St. Lucia Ltd., St. Lucia Hotel and Tourism
Association, St. Lucia's Ministry of Tourism and Civil
Aviation, St. Lucia Tourist Board, Villa Beach Cottages, The
Village Inn & Spa, and Windjammer Landing Villa Beach Resort
& Spa.
|
|
Anguilla Business Quick Links
|
