By the Caribbean Journal staff

A major Caribbean tourism conference is making its return this year with the relaunch of the Caribbean Tourism Organization’s Sustainable Tourism Conference.

The “Caribbean Conference on Sustainable Tourism Development,” or STC, will focus on leveraging social entrepreneurship as a strategy for social and economic empowerment.

As part of a program to address tourism issues in the region, STC 2019 will provide a forum for regional and international delegates to examine how some destinations have merged tourism development with eco-conscious destination management.

“The involvement of all facets of our society, including local communities, is critical to our sustainability,” said Amanda Charles, the CTO’s sustainable tourism development specialist. “It’s for this reason that we have included in the conference program presentations from communities across the region, including indigenous communities, that are engaging in community tourism to share their successes and best practices.”

“The aim is to provide conference participants with actual examples of grassroots efforts that have been successful in order to help generate bold ideas for a sustainable, inclusive and community-oriented tourism product,” she said.

During the first general session, entitled,Development Models for Social Integration, attention will be focused on the integration of local and indigenous grassroots initiatives as key pillars of the region’s cultural richness and diversity, with emphasis on the generation of employment opportunities for local communities.  

Under the theme “Keeping the Right Balance: Tourism Development in an Era of Diversification,” industry experts participating in #STC2019 will address the urgent need for a transformational, disruptive, and regenerative tourism product to meet ever-rising challenges. 

The event will take place from August 26-29 at the Beachcombers Hotel in St. Vincent.

For more, visit the STC.

— CJ