CTO Pushes Environmentally Healthy Tourism

Chairman of the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO), Richard Sealy is urging member countries to be environmentally-conscious regarding tourism products and initiatives.

Countries around the world celebrated Earth Day on April 22 every year, bringing environmental protection to the fore with eco-friendly events.

The CTO Chairman said the region joins the rest of the world in lobbying for a new international climate change agreement backed by supportive, and where necessary, punitive national initiatives that encourage more responsible environmentally friendly behavior.

“We must always remember that there is a linkage between our ecosystem and its appeal as a tourism product, and the quality of life we enjoy in the Caribbean.”

Sealy said the CTO welcomes the trend toward more mixed-use construction in the tourism and travel sector; however the level of awareness on the impact of the sector players’ actions on the environment needs to be lifted significantly.

“We at the CTO have been playing our part to ensure that our partners are more sensitive to the environmental issues in tourism, as well as the links between sustainability and our long-term success as an industry. Through our sustainable tourism product specialist, we have been able to institute and support a number of major initiatives,” he said, listing sustainable destination management efforts and the Caribbean Hotel Energy Efficiency Action project (CHENACT).

St. Kitts-Nevis offers a number of eco-friendly tourist activities from horseback riding to rainforest tours, zip lining in the lush mountains, botanical gardens, Eco-park, Segway tours and beach excursions.

Tourism Minister Hon. Lindsay Grant said as the Federation pursues sustainability in the industry, the government and people are mindful of capitalizing on natural resources and leaving as small a carbon footprint on the environment as possible.

Source: The St. Kitts & Nevis Observer