Grenada praised for tourism development

Tuesday, November 11, 2003

LONDON, England: Grenada came in for high praise for strides it has made in tourism development and European Union (EU) co-operation, from Mr. Friedrich Hamburger, Chef de Cabinet of Commissioner Nielson, Director-General for Development, European Commission. 

The EU representative stressed the need for the development of services in the tourism sector, and identified the need for tourism to take a central place in the policy making of Caribbean Governments. Mr Hamburger said that sun, sand and sea were not enough and that service should not be confused with servitude.

He was speaking at the Policy Workshop on Caribbean Tourism, sponsored by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office held in London last week.

The workshop came about as a result of discussions held with British Ministers and their Caribbean counterparts at the third UK/Caribbean Forum held in Georgetown, Guyana in April of 2002. Discussions focused on the future of the Caribbean tourism sector and recognised the need for increased attention at the policy level on the role of tourism in Caribbean development.

Some of the main aims and objectives of the workshop included:

• The challenges facing the Caribbean tourist industry, 

• The extent to which the industry can be an engine for sustainable development in the Region, 

• The ways in which tourism might be made more central to the UK/Caribbean and EU/Caribbean dialogue, 

• The overall dimensions of tourism and security, 

• The threats to and opportunities for the industry arising from the global threat of terrorism, and 

• The ways in which standards of environmental, public health and socially sustainable practices can be developed in the tourism sector.

In summing up what was needed for the future, Caribbean Tourism Organisation Director General, Mr Jean Holder, identified the following areas:

• Marketing Support 

• Capacity Building 

• Security 

High Commissioner Ruth Rouse represented Grenada at the meeting and participants continued their stay in London at the World Travel Market (WTM) taking place from November 10-13, 2003. High Commissioner Rouse joined the Grenada Delegation at the opening of the WTM November 10th.

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