CTO to Relaunch Sustainable Tourism Conference in Barbados

The region’s premiere international gathering on sustainable tourism is back. The Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) will hold its Caribbean Conference on Sustainable Tourism Development, otherwise known as the Sustainable Tourism Conference (STC), after a one-year absence due to the global economic crisis.

The 11th annual conference (STC-11) will be held from May 9 to 12 in Bridgetown, Barbados, and is being organized in collaboration with the Barbados Ministry of Tourism. This year’s conference will examine critical issues relating to sustainability and will explore creative solutions to many of the challenges facing CTO Member Countries, including the effects of climate change.

“STC will continue with the focus on how Member States can design and incorporate sustainable tourism policies and practices into their regional and international initiatives,” said Gail Henry, the CTO’s sustainable tourism product specialist. “We recognize that the development of the tourism sector in the Caribbean has to continue on a sustainable path. The Caribbean has an opportunity to lead advancements in this area while also creating valuable employment opportunities.”

The annual Caribbean Conference on Sustainable Tourism Development is part of the information dissemination and regional awareness component of CTO’s Strategy for Sustainable Tourism. It looks at how member states can design and implement sustainable tourism policies and programs, offering a regional forum for information exchange on the successes and pitfalls of national, regional and international initiatives.