East Caribbean Tourism Ministers Huddled in Grenada

Tourism ministers from eastern Caribbean countries have begun their assessment of the Cricket World Cup and other tourism-related issues.

The fifth meeting of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Council of Tourism Ministers was held in Grenada last week. The May 31 to June 1 meeting took place at the Grenadian by Rex Resort.

The Caribbean tourism ministers reviewed the region’s hosting of Cricket World Cup 2007 and post-event measurement of its economic impact and also looked at the impact of HIV/AIDS on the OECS’ Tourism Sector.

Four OECS member countries, namely Antigua and Barbuda, Grenada, St. Kitts-Nevis and St. Lucia, hosted ICC 2007 Cricket World Cup matches, while St. Vincent and the Grenadines staged warm-up matches.

The OECS tourism ministers also looked at air and sea transportation in the OECS, Grenada’s progress in the tourism sector following hurricanes Ivan and Emily as well as the establishment of an OECS Cruise Tourism Task Force.

Grenada’s new tourism minister, Clarice Modeste Curwen, chaired the powwow and assessed the OECS secretariat’s tourism work program for 2007-2008.

Ministers and directors of tourism from most OECS member states attended, as well as representatives from the Caribbean Hotel Association, the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank, and the Caribbean Tourism Organization.