(focus of the Caribbean) WTO Predicts Increase in International Tourism Sector]

>
> >From: "Bevan Springer" <bevdread@hotmail.com>
> >Sender: "sidsnet-tourism-newswire mailinglist (owner)"
> ><owner-tourism-newswire@sidsnet.org>
> >Date: 27 Jul 2000 17:31:13 GMT
> >X-User-Info: 165.65.8.69 ff642a.undp.org
> >To: tourism-newswire@sidsnet.org
> >Subject: WTO Predicts Increase in International Tourism Sector
> >
> >WTO Predicts Increase in International Tourism Sector
> >
> >By Rebecca Simon
> >
> >NEW YORK (July 26, 2000, SIDSnet) ñ The World Trade Organization
> >predicts that the international tourism sector will expand by 4
> >per cent a year over the next two decades and that within15 years
> >the environment will become the primary concern of tourists.
> >Taking advantage of these trends was the focus of the Caribbean
> >Tourism Organization's (CTO) annual conference on Sustainable
> >Tourism Development held recently in Georgetown, Guyana.
> >
> >A study commissioned by the CTO looked at the potential for
> >developing eco-tourism in Haiti, the Dominican Republic and
> >Suriname. For countries that already enjoy a strong tourism
> >sector, eco-tourism can be a means of diversification. For
> >countries like Suriname that lack the traditional "sand
> >and sea" tourism but have other natural attractions, eco-tourism
> >may provide an alternate route into the tourism industry.
> >
> >The proposed Guyanas Trail presented at the conference is a joint
> >tourism development and marketing effort between Suriname,
> >Guyana, and French Guyana. All three countries lack beaches, but
> >have immense inland rainforest. Tourists would select from
> >destination and activity choices in each of the three countries
> >as part of a total package. Although all three countries require
> >product upgrading, training and marketing, by cooperating
> >they hope to better compete internationally.
> >
> >According to Carlos Velasquez of Mexico's Tourism Ministry, the
> >paradox of tourism is that the industry "endangers the natural
> >and cultural resources that make a tourist spot desirable." Some
> >of the dangers are air and water pollution, loss of flora and
> >fauna, landscape damage, cultural change, and lack of long term
> >benefits to the local community.
> >
> >Velasquez presented Mexico's strategy for reaching development
> >goals while preserving its natural and cultural resources. The
> >Central American country promotes planned tourism development,
> >strengthening of local culture, and preservation of the
> >environment and biodiversity to meet the current needs of the
> >tourism industry while protecting its future. Mexico is currently
> >instituting policies and regulations to reduce and reverse the
> >negative social and environmental effects of tourism.
> >
> >Penelope Hyman, Executive Director of Barbados National Trust
> >cites Barbados' award-winning Arbib Trail as an example of
> >creating an eco-tourism project featuring "the basic underlying
> >principles that should govern sustainable tourism in (the
> >Caribbean) islands -- tourism thatdoesn't irrevocably damage the
> >host country and still satisfies the visitor." Hyman stressed the
> >importance of involving the local community during all phases of
> >planning and execution of such eco-tourism projects.
> >
> >Some tourist destinations use their environmental policies as a
> >marketing tool. Jamaica's Half Moon Golf, Tennis, and Beach Club,
> >one of the first to initiate an environmental program, has won
> >many awards and markets itself as "the Caribbean's greenest
> >hotel." Other tourist areas have found that visitors are willing
> >to pay extra fees to support national parks and nature sites.
> >Ecuador's Galapagos Islands and the small Himalayan nation of
> >Bhutan have raised tourist fees and been able to increase revenue
> >while cutting back on the number of visitors. These destinations
> >have experienced first-hand that fewer people spending more money
> >is less socially and environmentally disruptive.
> >
> >ENDS
> >
Received on Sun Jul 30 13:45:23 2000