New initiatives Needed to Move Tourism Forward, Barbados Minister Suggested

Addressing the 9th Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Investment Conference (CHIC) and Profit Partnership meeting, Barbados Tourism Minister Noel Lynch called for the implementation of government and private sector policies and initiatives to make regional tourism more attractive to potential investors.

The Minister told some 400 delegates attending the three-day conference, held from Monday to Wednesday in Bridgetown, that this reality could not be achieved simply by lowering imposts on the industry, but through the implementation of a range of policy options.

The conference was held under the theme "Finding Investment

Opportunities in the Caribbean Tourism Sector".

Lynch noted that in this heavily tourism dependent region, because of its structure, range of options and linkages to other sectors, the industry must shoulder the majority of load for the maintenance of social stability, which it needs to ensure its survival.

The minister urged regional governments to move swiftly to enact enabling legislation that eliminates barriers to private sector imitative.

Finally, he called for the creation of an environment that strengthens the capital markets of the region, and setting up of the long awaited regional stock exchange.