Historic Caribbean tourism agreement to be signed in Antigua
02-07-2006
ST JOHN’S, Antigua: Jolly Beach Resort, Antigua will be the venue for the signing of an historic agreement between the Organisation of American States (OAS), the Caribbean Tourism Organisation (CTO) and the Caribbean Hotel Association (CHA) on Tuesday.
The Memorandum of Understanding between the three major tourism organisations in the region will enhance a recently formalised partnership between the CTO and CHA which emphasises cooperation in tourism marketing and promotion; the preparation of a single Caribbean web site for consumers and membership; joint research on aviation issues, cruise tourism, hotel operating study, and joint efforts in human resource development and training.
According to Kim Osborne, Small Tourism Enterprise Project Officer at the Organisation of American States, the Memorandum of Understanding between the OAS, CTO and CHA will focus on joint programmes to develop the tourism product throughout the region.
Areas of co-operation will include the financing and development of small hotels, a joint approach to improvements in the standards of skills and training of personnel in the hospitality sector, and of great importance the development of regional quality standards for hotels and other tourism facilities and attractions and a regional approach to monitoring and compliance of regional standards.
The historic signing ceremony will gather top tourism officials including Dr. Sherry Stephenson, Acting Director, Organisation of American States Department of Trade Tourism & Competitiveness, Vincent Vanderpool-Wallace, Secretary General of the Caribbean Tourism Organisation and Berthia Parle, President of the Caribbean Hotel Association at a reception being hosted by the Government of Antigua and Barbuda at the end of the first day of a three day symposium.
Over fifty participants from across the region will attend the symposium which will seek to develop “a Strategic Approach to Rationalising Standards Development, Monitoring and Compliance in the Caribbean Tourism Sector” with Vanderpoole-Wallace, Stephenson and Parle as resource persons.
Other key experts in tourism and standards development will present at the Symposium including Camella Rhone, Director of the Caribbean Regional Organisation for Standards and Quality (CROSQ), Mary Helen Reece, former Director of Standards and Licensing with the Tourism Product Development Co. Ltd of Jamaica, Sharon Pascal, Dominica’s Director of Tourism, Bonita Morgan of the CTO and representatives from the Federation of Tour Operators, the Pan American Health Organisation and private consultants specializing in quality standards.
Lorraine Headley, Director of Product Development at the Ministry of Tourism highlighted the importance of the expected outcomes of the Symposium and the Memorandum of Understanding.
“We are extremely honoured to be the host country for this significant gathering. Standards development is critical to Antigua and Barbuda’s tourism product and is a major thrust for tourism development in 2006 and beyond. The consistency of standards across the region is particularly critical as we anticipate the influx of visitors in 2007 travelling to a number of Caribbean countries during their visit to the region.”
Miss Headley continued, “As host country we have been given the opportunity by the OAS to invite a number of stakeholders including the Antigua Hotels and Tourist Association, the Antigua and Barbuda Bureau of Standards, the Barbuda Council and representatives from the tours and excursions sector. This will provide us with a platform to move forward with the improvement of standards across sectors.”
Participants of the Symposium will also be provided the opportunity to visit Curtain Bluff Resort and the Nelson’s Dockyard during a field trip organised by the Ministry of Tourism to highlight best practices in quality standards exemplified in successful tourism facilities
02-07-2006
ST JOHN’S, Antigua: Jolly Beach Resort, Antigua will be the venue for the signing of an historic agreement between the Organisation of American States (OAS), the Caribbean Tourism Organisation (CTO) and the Caribbean Hotel Association (CHA) on Tuesday.
The Memorandum of Understanding between the three major tourism organisations in the region will enhance a recently formalised partnership between the CTO and CHA which emphasises cooperation in tourism marketing and promotion; the preparation of a single Caribbean web site for consumers and membership; joint research on aviation issues, cruise tourism, hotel operating study, and joint efforts in human resource development and training.
According to Kim Osborne, Small Tourism Enterprise Project Officer at the Organisation of American States, the Memorandum of Understanding between the OAS, CTO and CHA will focus on joint programmes to develop the tourism product throughout the region.
Areas of co-operation will include the financing and development of small hotels, a joint approach to improvements in the standards of skills and training of personnel in the hospitality sector, and of great importance the development of regional quality standards for hotels and other tourism facilities and attractions and a regional approach to monitoring and compliance of regional standards.
The historic signing ceremony will gather top tourism officials including Dr. Sherry Stephenson, Acting Director, Organisation of American States Department of Trade Tourism & Competitiveness, Vincent Vanderpool-Wallace, Secretary General of the Caribbean Tourism Organisation and Berthia Parle, President of the Caribbean Hotel Association at a reception being hosted by the Government of Antigua and Barbuda at the end of the first day of a three day symposium.
Over fifty participants from across the region will attend the symposium which will seek to develop “a Strategic Approach to Rationalising Standards Development, Monitoring and Compliance in the Caribbean Tourism Sector” with Vanderpoole-Wallace, Stephenson and Parle as resource persons.
Other key experts in tourism and standards development will present at the Symposium including Camella Rhone, Director of the Caribbean Regional Organisation for Standards and Quality (CROSQ), Mary Helen Reece, former Director of Standards and Licensing with the Tourism Product Development Co. Ltd of Jamaica, Sharon Pascal, Dominica’s Director of Tourism, Bonita Morgan of the CTO and representatives from the Federation of Tour Operators, the Pan American Health Organisation and private consultants specializing in quality standards.
Lorraine Headley, Director of Product Development at the Ministry of Tourism highlighted the importance of the expected outcomes of the Symposium and the Memorandum of Understanding.
“We are extremely honoured to be the host country for this significant gathering. Standards development is critical to Antigua and Barbuda’s tourism product and is a major thrust for tourism development in 2006 and beyond. The consistency of standards across the region is particularly critical as we anticipate the influx of visitors in 2007 travelling to a number of Caribbean countries during their visit to the region.”
Miss Headley continued, “As host country we have been given the opportunity by the OAS to invite a number of stakeholders including the Antigua Hotels and Tourist Association, the Antigua and Barbuda Bureau of Standards, the Barbuda Council and representatives from the tours and excursions sector. This will provide us with a platform to move forward with the improvement of standards across sectors.”
Participants of the Symposium will also be provided the opportunity to visit Curtain Bluff Resort and the Nelson’s Dockyard during a field trip organised by the Ministry of Tourism to highlight best practices in quality standards exemplified in successful tourism facilities
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