CARIBBEAN: Regional tourism to benefit from British

Regional tourism to benefit from British
Web Posted - Wed Nov 05 2003

BARBADOS and other Caribbean countries are to get help with their tourism 
products from Britain. 
The help will come in the form of two initiatives which will be spelt out in 
London later this week when Ministers of Tourism from several Caribbean 
countries are expected to attend a Foreign and Commonwealth Office-sponsored 
workshop on tourism. 

According to Bill Rammell, the Parliamen- tary Undersecretary of State for 
Foreign Affairs, Britain has just signed a bilateral agreement with UNESCO to 
help preserve World heritage Sites, making the Caribbean its top priority. 

In addition, Rammell said Britain will sponsor a Sustainable Tourism 
Initiative in the Caribbean which will focus on helping to save coral reefs 
in the Caribbean. 

“These two pledges lend proof to our continual commitment to co-operation 
with our Caribbean partners and is testimony to the long standing 
relationship we share with the region,” the British official added. 

He said the upcoming conference comes at an important time for the Caribbean. 
“The major threats of terrorism, natural disaster and globalised crime 
networks render small vulnerable societies, such as those in the Caribbean, 
particularly at risk. Discussing policy measures to address those challenges 
could not be more timely,” he added. 

The wide group of stakeholders will include ministers, policy makers from 
governments, key representatives from the private sector in the Caribbean and 
the United Kingdom and a range of donors and other international actors who 
have a key interest in this sector. 

Representatives will also be present from Virgin Airways, Sandals Resort, 
Thomas Cooke Operators, British Airways, Caribbean Tourism Organisation, 
Caribbean Hotel Associ- ation, European Union, World Trade Organisation, 
Department for Interna- tional Development and the Department of Trade and 
Industry. 



SOURCE: Barbados Advocate