Tourism Minister Asot Michael
Antigua, CMC – The Antigua and Barbuda government says it will implement a new tourism action agenda, following consultation with stakeholders, in the private and public sector.
It said the action plan will focus on three destination initiatives, namely, the development of a sustainable tourism strategy, new community-based cultural tourism products, and the mapping of cultural heritage sites.
Stakeholders developed the action plan in August during a sustainable destination assessment workshop coordinated by the Ministry of Tourism, The Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority. The workshop was conducted under the banner of the Sustainable Destinations Alliance for the Americas (SDAA), supported by the Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. Ocean Fund.
“Based on the assessment, Antigua and Barbuda is performing well as it relates to its prioritization of Sustainable Tourism”, said Tourism Minister Asot Michael.
“However, the findings did indicate that there are some critical areas we need to address to include: the need to establish quality and sustainability standards for key sectors of the industry, improving visitor management planning and monitoring and coastal zone management.”
The new action projects were selected based on their potential to increase the long-term viability and positive impacts of tourism in the destination.
A dedicated Sustainable Tourism department in the Ministry of Tourism is working along with technical working groups, comprised of stakeholders, to bring the three key initiatives to fruition, with a goal of producing tangible results within the next 12 months.
“We are confident that we can further improve the way we manage tourism – our most critical sector – to ensure its long-term sustainability,” Michael said.
In addition to implementation of the new agenda, Antigua and Barbuda will receive an online monitoring tool, a sustainable tourism knowledge training programme, and support with the development of a sustainability story, to be used in marketing and communications.
“We believe that responsible tourism can play a role in fostering sustainability,” said Rich Pruitt, Vice President, Safety and Environmental Stewardship, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.
“We are optimistic about the actions Antigua and Barbuda is planning to take toward ensuring its long-term viability as a place to live and work and as a travel destination.”
