2017 - The Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development
The Directorate of Sustainable Tourism (DST) of the Association of Caribbean States celebrated the Commemoration of the Declaration by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) of 2017 as the Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development, which was held at the ACS Secretariat on April 7th.
The event began with the welcome remarks by the Secretary General of the ACS, H.E Dr. June Soomer, who made reference to the main topics of said meeting and shared the vision of the ACS with regard to Sustainable Tourism. She further highlighted the importance of creating a balance between the pillars of sustainability and enhancing the linkages between tourism and the people of the region in order to protect the Greater Caribbean’s culture and accrue benefits that will contribute to the alleviation of poverty.
Special remarks were also delivered by the Minister of Tourism of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, Honourable Shamfa Cudjoe; the Tobago House of Assembly represented by Ms. Sandra Orr of the Division of Tourism, Culture and Transportation; Ambassador of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and Chair of the Ministerial Council of the Association of Caribbean States, H. E. Coromoto Godoy Calderon and the Representative of the Chair of the Special Committee on Sustainable Tourism (SCST) the Republic of Honduras, the Honourable Michelle Paredes, Vice Minister of Tourism.
Mr. Carlos Vogeler, Regional Director for the Americas of the UNWTO gave an inspiring and encouraging message and took the opportunity to thank the ACS for their commitment in promoting sustainability in the tourism industry.
A presentation entitled, ‘Tourism Sustainability in the Greater Caribbean: Advances and Lessons Learnt’, was presented by Mr. Julio Orozco, the Director of Sustainable Tourism of the ACS where he outlined the work of the Directorate and the ACS in contributing to sustainability in the tourism sector.
The commemoration was also attended by the Diplomatic Corps of the Member States and Associate Members of the ACS, stakeholders of the tourism sector in Trinidad and Tobago, international organizations and special guests.
Here are pictures of our event: http://www.acs-aec.org/index.php?q=resources/galleries/2017/2017-the-year-of-sustainable-tourism-for-development
The Association of Caribbean States is the organization for consultation, cooperation and concerted action in trade, transport, sustainable tourism and natural disasters in the Greater Caribbean. Its Member States are Antigua & Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, Jamaica, Nicaragua, Panama, St. Kitts & Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad & Tobago and Venezuela. Its Associate Members are Aruba, Curacao, (France on behalf of French Guiana, Saint Barthelemy and Saint Martin ), Guadeloupe, Martinique, Sint Maarten, (The Netherlands on behalf of Bonaire, Saba, and Sint Eustatius ), Turks and Caicos.