Tourism Innovation Talks Opened in St. Lucia

Participants at Counterpart International’s Caribbean Media Exchange on Sustainable Tourism (CMEx) assembling in St. Lucia are eagerly awaiting news of how their destinations rank against other tourism locations.

The Caribbean’s top tourism personalities opened the 11th full edition of CMEx in St. Lucia on Friday morning.

Secretary General of the Caribbean Tourism Organization, Bahamian Vincent Vanderpool-Wallace, and Chairman of the Caribbean Hotel Association Berthia Parle of St. Lucia’s Bay Gardens Resorts started the discourse at the newly opened Palm Haven boutique hotel in the north of the island as delegates examined the theme, “Caribbean Tourism: Another Level of Innovation.”

The opening session, moderated by television personality and travel professional Andria Hall, who also is an author and a former CNN news anchor, also featured Patrick Cozier, Secretary General of the Caribbean Broadcasting Union.

Matthew Sams, Vice President of Caribbean Relations of Holland America, updated participants on the new direction of the cruise industry. Also, Caroline Racine, Director of Caribbean Franchise Development for Choice Hotels spoke on branding as an innovative approach to operating hotels.

The Caribbean Media Exchange launched by Counterpart International in 2001, has attracted reporters, editors, young people and development specialists as well as representatives of the hospitality sector, civil society and government. Key is examining how tourism policies can be aimed at improving the lives of Caribbean people.