Any Caribbean economic development plan must respect the intricate relationship between the environment, societal needs and profitability, according to the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO).

It’s in this context that the need to balance people, planet and profits for a viable tourism economy will be included as a major issue for discussion at the upcoming Caribbean Conference on Sustainable Tourism Development in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

During a general session entitled “The Caring Economy: People, Planet and Profits,” scheduled for Friday, August 29 at 9 am, participants will be presented with examples of tangible best practices of equitable balance among the three Ps of sustainability that have been implemented at the local, regional and international levels. The presenters will demonstrate how development planners can build a caring economy by that encompasses every sustainability pillar.

One of the examples to be featured is the People-to-People programme in the Bahamas through which visitors are paired with local hosts who share Bahamian culture, cuisine and history, and develop long-lasting friendships.

The conference, otherwise known as the Sustainable Tourism Conference (#STC2019), is scheduled for August 26 to 29 2019 at the Beachcombers Hotel in St Vincent and is organised by CTO in partnership with the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Tourism Authority (SVGTA).

Under the theme “Keeping the Right Balance: Tourism Development in an Era of Diversification,” industry experts participating in #STC2019 will address the urgent need for a transformational, disruptive, and regenerative tourism product to meet ever-rising challenges. The full conference programme can be viewed via https://www.caribbeanstc.com/program/

St Vincent and the Grenadines will host STC amidst an intensified national thrust towards a greener, more climate-resilient destination, including the construction of a geothermal plant on St Vincent to complement the country’s hydro and solar energy capacity and the restoration of the Ashton Lagoon in Union Island. 

To register for the conference, visit https://www.caribbeanstc.com/register. Rates are available for general delegates including CTO members and non-members, St. Vincent & the Grenadines residents, travel agents and students (both local and international rates).

Sponsorships are available for the conference and can be viewed via: https://www.caribbeanstc.com/sponsor. Contact Sylma Brown Bramble at 212-635-9530 or sbrown@caribtourism.com for additional information.