Engage in sustainable tourism practices

A holistic approach is critical to encourage tourism stakeholders to engage in sustainable tourism practices.

“Initiatives promoting sustainable water use must be backed by comprehensive education and awareness campaigns for locals and visitors. We ask governments to look at legislative support and
inducements, such as tax rebates, to ensure sustainable tourism gains wider acceptance. We need a multi-sectoral approach – combining public policy and incentives; private-sector financing and endorsement; backed by effective community and visitor education and awareness programmes,” said Caribbean Tourism Organisation Chairman, Beverly Nicholson-Doty.

In a message to mark World Tourism Day, which was celebrated recently, she outlined that with the sector relying so heavily on this precious resource, ways to ensure a sustainable supply to hotels, restaurants, entertainment centres and sporting facilities must be embraced.

She stressed that sustainable water-use policies and better wastewater management practices in swimming pools, water parks and golf courses must become a primary focus.

Highlighting the Caribbean Hotel Energy Efficiency Action Programme (CHENACT) which the CTO manages in conjunction with the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association, she stressed that this public-private sector programme would help Caribbean hotels to implement energy efficient practices and to generate their own renewable energy.

Nicholson-Doty noted that since its inception in 2009, CHENACT has helped more than 80
hotels to reduce costs and to improve energy consumption patterns, with projections of saving the region’s hotel sector approximately USD $271 million annually in utility costs. (JMB)