The UWI Regional Headquarters, Jamaica. W.I. Thursday, September 23, 2021.—
“The tourism sector has a critical role to play in resuscitating the global economy, and specifically the Caribbean that is heavily dependent on tourism,” said Professor Sir Hilary Beckles, Vice-Chancellor of The University of the West Indies (The UWI). The University has collaborated with leading regional and international agencies from the public and private sectors, as well as nongovernmental partners in academia, health and other interests to jointly host a high-level virtual conference on the future of Caribbean tourism. Registration is free for all attendees of the day-long event, which will be held on Monday, September 27 in observance of Word Tourism Day 2021.
Expanding upon this year’s World Tourism Day theme, ‘Tourism for Inclusive Growth’, established by the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) – the United Nations agency responsible for the promotion of responsible, sustainable and universally accessible tourism – the virtual conference will emphasize collaboration as an important element in the growth and development of the region’s primary revenue earner.
Themed, “The Future of Caribbean Tourism - Redefining the three S’s”, the event will explore the challenges, opportunities and best practices for tourism resilience and recovery. The three S’s have been identified as Social inclusion, Sustainability, and Smart destinations and businesses, and will inform the thematic sessions to guide the discussions.
This unprecedented collaborative effort brings together 11 agencies and institutions related to tourism and key ancillary sectors, working to address unique challenges posed by COVID-19 and other threats to the future of Caribbean tourism.
Tourism is by far the leading economic driver in the Caribbean, the world’s most tourism-dependent region, with impacts far beyond the direct spending by travellers as it fuels economies, spawns new businesses, provides linkages with other economic sectors, and generates the tax revenues essential to the building of infrastructure and provision of government services. Given this pivotal role, the partner agencies want to ensure the three priority areas identified are central in the region’s recovery strategies.
The outcome of this event will build momentum for an action-oriented new dawn of smart partnership and advocacy for the successful, safe, and sustainable restoration of Caribbean tourism. Professor Sir Hilary Beckles said The UWI remains steadfast in its commitment to support the region and the world on the road to recovery from the global COVID-19 pandemic. He reaffirmed The UWI will continue to conduct relevant research and provide advocacy in respect of the data to inform policies. “This excellent display of partnerships to host this virtual conference demonstrates our dedication to creating opportunities for meaningful engagement among key regional and global members in the tourism services sector. It brings together civil society and academia for the rebuilding of Caribbean tourism,” explained Professor Sir Hilary Beckles.
Organizers of the virtual event include the Caribbean Tourism Organization, The University of the West Indies, Association of Caribbean States, Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association, Caribbean Public Health Agency, Compete Caribbean Partnership Facility, Global Tourism Resilience & Crisis Management Centre, Inter-American Development Bank, Organisation of American States, Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States, and the United Nations Development Programme for Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean.
To register for the event visit: https://bit.ly/3AcqZhX.
For further information, visit
https://www.onecaribbean.org/events-calendar/caribbean-world-tourism-day-2021/.
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For more information please contact:
Greta Andzenge, Marketplace Excellence/ Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association
+1 201 861-2056
greta@marketplaceexcellence.com
Johnson JohnRose, Caribbean Tourism Organization
+1 246 427-5242
About The UWI
The UWI has been and continues to be a pivotal force in every aspect of Caribbean development; residing at the centre of all efforts to improve the well-being of people across the region.
From a university college of London in Jamaica with 33 medical students in 1948, The UWI is today an internationally respected, global university with near 50,000 students and five campuses: Mona in Jamaica, St. Augustine in Trinidad and Tobago, Cave Hill in Barbados, Five Islands in Antigua and Barbuda and its Open Campus, and 10 global centres in partnership with universities in North America, Latin America, Asia, Africa and Europe.
The UWI offers over 800 certificate, diploma, undergraduate and postgraduate degree options in Culture, Creative and Performing Arts, Food and Agriculture, Engineering, Humanities and Education, Law, Medical Sciences, Science and Technology, Social Sciences, and Sport. As the Caribbean’s leading university, it possesses the largest pool of Caribbean intellect and expertise committed to confronting the critical issues of our region and wider world.
Ranked among the top universities in the world, by the most reputable ranking agency, Times Higher Education, The UWI is the only Caribbean-based university to make the prestigious lists. In 2020, it earned ‘Triple 1st’ rankings—topping the Caribbean; and in the top in the tables for Latin America and the Caribbean, and global Golden Age universities (between 50 and 80 years old). The UWI is also featured among the top universities on THE’s Impact Rankings for its response to the world’s biggest concerns, outlined in the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including Good Health and Wellbeing; Gender Equality and Climate Action. For more, visit www.uwi.edu. (Please note that the proper name of the university is The University of the West Indies, inclusive of the “The”, hence The UWI.)
