CTO Chairman calls for bolder climate change protection initiatives

Caribbean Tourism Organisation 9 May 2010

The Caribbean’s top tourism policy-maker has called for bold new initiatives to protect the region from the impact of climate change.

The Chairman of the Caribbean Tourism Organisation (CTO), Hon. John Maginley, told delegates attending the opening of the 11th Annual Caribbean Conference on Sustainable Tourism Development (STC-11) here this evening that the evidence of the impact of climate change on the region is there for all to see.

Mr. Maginley, who is Antigua & Barbuda’s minister of tourism, made reference to recent natural phenomena that have affected the Caribbean, which he said remains vulnerable to climate change despite contributing little to it.

Minister Maginley told the approximately 400 delegates gathered at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre for the event, that it was time to act to protect the region’s natural advantages.

“We know what it’s like to have to cope with storms. We know what it feels like to deal with periodic drought; and most recently, we have experienced the trauma of earthquakes here in our region, a phenomenon from which the People of Haiti are only now beginning to recover,” the CTO chairman told the audience, which included Barbados’ deputy prime minister, Freundel Stuart, ministers of government and representatives of regional and international institutions.

“With disasters like these the time is surely right to aggressively push for initiatives that protect and preserve our region’s unmatched assets,” he added.

The minister also advised delegates that while the region concentrates of dealing with these challenges, it should also pursue opportunities to ensure the industry remains competitive.

“This after all, is the primary means of sustenance for the vast majority of the citizens of the Caribbean. This means we must produce a superb tourism product that is sustainable and which clearly distinguishes us from our competitors,” he said.

Over the next three days, delegates to STC-11 will debate issues and develop recommendations for the viability and sustainability of the region’s tourism sector. A number of high profile speakers - including the geotourism editor of National Geographic Traveler, Jonathan Tourtellot, who will deliver the feature address – will share their experiences and offer suggestions on how to develop a world class sustainable tourism product.

For registration and other conference information, including the conference programme and details of Study Tours, visit www.caribbeanstc.com.

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