Conference: Tourism as a Key Sector for Development in Island States

Nassau, Bahamas, 19th – 20th February, 2014

Association of Caribbean States

(ACS)

Directorate of Sustainable Tourism

(DST)

The Association of Caribbean States

Established in 1994 to promote consultation, cooperation

and concerted action in the Greater Caribbean (25

Member States and 3 Associate Members).

THE IMPORTANCE OF INTEGRATION TO THE ACS

The Convention Establishing the Association of Caribbean

States (ACS) was signed on 24 July 1994 in Cartagena de

Indias, Columbia.

The objectives of the ACS are enshrined in the Convention and

are based on the strengthening of the regional co-operation

and integration process, with a view to:

creating an enhanced economic space in the region;

preserving the environmental integrity of the Caribbean Sea

which is regarded as the common patrimony of the peoples of

the region;

and promoting the sustainable development of the Greater

Caribbean.

Focal Areas / Directorates of the ACS

The ACS Special Committee on Sustainable Tourism has

identified the following programmatic areas to be highly

important to integration.

Programmatic Areas

1. Sustainable Tourism Zone of the Greater Caribbean (STZC)

2. Promotion of Languages and Cultures of the Greater Caribbean

(CPLC)

3. Promotion of Multi-Destination Tourism (MDT)

SUSTAINABLE TOURISM ZONE OF THE GREATER

CARIBBEAN (STZC)

The STZC has been identified “as a geographically determined

cultural, socio-economic and biologically rich and diverse unit, in

which tourism development will depend on the sustainability and

the principles of integration, co-operation and consensus, aimed

at facilitating the integrated development of the Greater

Caribbean”.

The STZC entered into force on November 6th, 2013.

The Greater Caribbean is now designated as the first

Sustainable Tourism Zone in the world.

SUSTAINABLE TOURISM ZONE OF THE

GREATER CARIBBEAN (STZC)

The establishment of the STZC will:

1. Enhance resource mobilisation efforts for the development

and implementation of sustainable tourism projects and

strategies;

2. Contribute to more efficient management of natural resources

and the environment and assist with mitigation of the

effects of climate change to the Greater Caribbean region.

3. Conduct a study on training for careers in tourism as a means

of human resource development and regional mobilisation of

human resources.

REGIONAL COOPERATION MECHANISM (RCM) OF

THE STZC

The Regional Cooperation Mechanism component of the

STZC is being executed in collaboration with the Regional

Cooperation Council of Martinique and includes:

Study on Sustainable Tourism in the Greater Caribbean;

Formalisation of the STZC Steering committee for consultation

and integrated planning among STZC stakeholders;

Development of the STZC website to promote the initiative and

destination management tools;

Expansion of the Sustainability Indicators, to have at least one

destination in each ACS Member and Associate Member State

STZC designated.

TRAINING FOR CAREERS IN SUSTAINABLE

TOURISM PROJECT

The DST in collaboration with the French

Development Agency (AFD), launched the

consultancy for the Training for Careers in

Sustainable Tourism Project. (January 10th, 2014)

TRAINING FOR CAREERS IN SUSTAINABLE

TOURISM PROJECT

The project will entail the following:

Identify the specific needs and areas for Training and Human

Resource Development in the Tourism Sector in the Greater

Caribbean.

Determine existing gaps and challenges in relation to Training

and Capacity-Building.

Provide recommendations to address existing needs as well as

new priorities identified.

Develop a Directory of Tourism and Hospitality Training

Institutions and courses offered in the Greater Caribbean.

Develop a Framework for the implementation of a

Comprehensive Program to deliver Training and Capacity

building to the Tourism Sector.

MULTIDESTINATION TOURISM

AIR CONNECTIVITY

Ongoing collaboration between the DST with regional

agencies: Caribbean Tourism Organisation (CTO), the Latin

American and Caribbean Air Transport Association (ALTA)

and International Air Transport Association (IATA) in an effort

to improve connectivity within the region.

Jointly organised meeting held in Cancun, Mexico on 14th

November, 2013: to facilitate and enhance cooperation and

dialogue among the regional tourism and transport

sectors, as well as facilitate strategic alliances among key

regional and international stakeholders.

MULTIDESTINATION TOURISM

MARITIME CONNECTIVITY

The ACS is formulating a project with the

Government of Mexico focussing on Short-

Distance Maritime Routes in Small-Island

Developing States (SIDS) and Latin America.

PROMOTION OF LANGUAGES AND CULTURES OF

THE GREATER CARIBBEAN

Student Exchange Language Immersion Programme aims to:

Strengthen the foreign language skills of nationals of the

ACS Member States through intensive immersion courses

in French, Spanish and English.

Foster awareness of and appreciation for the cultural

diversity of the Greater Caribbean region by facilitating

cultural experiences and exchanges as part of the in-

country immersion experience.

PROMOTION OF LANGUAGES AND CULTURES OF

THE GREATER CARIBBEAN

The Student Exchange Language Immersion Programme

has the potential to develop multi-destination tourism and

intra-regional travel within the Greater Caribbean.

The inherent language and cultural diversity of the region,

allows countries a unique opportunity to share experiences

and skills to grow the regional industry as a whole, and

contribute to developing the language and communication

skills of the human resource.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION