The ICCF Group hosted a virtual Forum on Sustainable Tourism as part of its Eastern Caribbean program, convening expert panelists to present to policymakers the challenges, solutions, and recommendations for strengthening sustainable tourism in the region. The panelists represented various sectors, including regional and national governments, tourism associations, think tanks, the financial sector, and academia, and used case studies from Saint Lucia, Grenada, and Dominica in communicating opportunities for the region as a whole.
With moderation by Cletus Springer, Former Director of the Department of Sustainable Development of the Organization of American States (OAS), the unified message of greater integration between sectors related to tourism, the importance of involving the public and private sectors in resilience frameworks and policy-making, and the need to prioritize tourism that enhances the livelihoods of local populations was consistent across all the presentations. Specific recommendations were made in regards to the incorporation of nature-based solutions, disaster reduction frameworks, an examination of related infrastructure development, and leveraging the relative strengths and tourist markets of individual islands.
The presentations are attached with excerpts below:
Maria Fowell, Tourism Specialist at the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), set the tone by outlining the three pillars of sustainable tourism and presenting the policy interventions recommended by the OECS to ensure that tourism improves the quality of life of all citizens, particularly the need for national frameworks and policies for tourism development.
Karolin Troubetzkoy, President, Saint Lucia Hotel and Tourism Association (SLHTA), Executive Director of Anse Chastanet and Jade Mountain Resorts, built upon these frameworks by presenting the Saint Lucia perspective on the current status of tourism following COVID-19 and encouraging decision-makers to consider energy, water, and waste management in tourism policies, as well as to integrate nature-based solutions (NBS) into policy commitments for multiple linked objectives.
Damian Greaves, PhD, Professor, Saint George’s University and former, ensured that health policy and disaster risk reduction frameworks were taken into account, incorporating lessons learned from the impact of COVID-19 and Grenada’s response, emphasizing the need to reorganize the tourism industry according to the latest standards and rules and the realities of environmental change, while also considering the potential for tourism to address social and economic inequities.
Colin Piper, CEO of Discover Dominica Tourism Authority, presented the “Safe in Nature” policy in Dominica as a positive example of how the nation’s unique position as the “nature isle” has manifested in a tourism policy that will attract visitors and manage their experience to enhance safety and promote the nation’s natural and cultural assets, while creating incentives through a certification program for the private tourism sector.
Sally Yozell, Director of the Environmental Security Program at The Stimson Center, presented the Coastal and Ocean Vulnerability Index (CORVI) assessment, a decision-making support tool with holistic climate risk assessment for coastal cities. The CORVI assessment for Castries, Saint Lucia held important insights for the region into policy recommendations to strengthen sustainable tourism, including the sector’s diversification and inland development, training and rescaling the labor force, waste management, and promoting resilience across key infrastructure.
Richard Peterkin, Partner at Grant Thornton Windward Islands, presented the available finance schemes and funding available through national governments, CBI schemes, and trust funds to support these initiatives for sustainable development. He encouraged policymakers to engage with and support the private-sector hospitality industry specifically to help them access additional revenue streams so they can refinance debt and pandemic losses, and make subsequent investments in renewable energy and rehabilitation/restoration of nature areas that are vital to their industries.
The ICCF Group thanks its expert panelists for such a comprehensive and actionable presentation of the challenges and opportunities for legislators and looks forward to promoting national action based on the information and recommendations.
