Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1483470
the socioeconomic and cultural development of communities. It plays a critical part in the social protection systems that form the foundation for resilience and prosperity. "We must invest in clean and sustainable tourism, lowering the sector's energy consumption, adopting zero-emission path- ways and protecting biodiversity. We must create decent jobs and ensure profits benefit the host country and local communi- ties. Governments, businesses and consumers must align their tourism practices with the Sustainable Development Goals and a 1.5°C future. The very survival of this industry and many tourist destinations, such as small island developing States, depends on it ... "There is no time to waste. Let us rethink and reinvent tourism and together, deliver a more sustainable, prosperous and resilient future for all." As CHTA celebrates its 60th anniversary, Madden-Greig pointed to the correlation between the organization's broad program of work and successes and the contributions tourism has made to the growth and development of local economies and the Caribbean public. "Our work in the past has laid a foundation and paved a path to the future. Our challenge today is to build an industry that can adapt to and meet the ongoing and new challenges we face," she stated. "This includes meeting the challenges of climate change, cre- ating a more inclusive industry, propelling upward mobility through tourism, retaining more of the tourism dollar, using technology to create new opportunities and address rising costs, reinforcing linkages and new entrepreneurial opportuni- ties, addressing our inter-connectivity challenges, and adapting to the changing interests and demands in the marketplace," Madden-Greig continued. "Tourism contributes more than 40 percent of GDP to most Caribbean economies, with a number of destinations exceeding 60 percent. According to the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) Caribbean Economic Impact Report issued last June, the Caribbean can expand tourism's contribution to GDP, employment and revenue retention and expansion by working together to address the myriad aforementioned challenges," she observed. "We are working on several fronts to help build a better future. Next week public and private sector tourism industry leaders will converge at the region's largest gathering of stakeholders in Puerto Rico at the Caribbean Travel Forum and Caribbean Travel Marketplace to address both our imme- diate work towards recovery and our sustained efforts to build a better future. The timing of the World Tourism Day message is appropriate, as it reinforces the essential role tourism can and must play as we look to the future," she con- cluded prior to the event. B M & T ••• November/December 2022 ••• www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com 40 BARBADOS NAMES NEW MINISTER OF TOURISM In a reorganization of the Barbados cabinet, Prime Minister Mia Mottley annou- nced that health and wellness minister Ian Gooding-Edghill will assume the portfolio for the island's bread-and-butter industry, replacing Senator Lisa Cummins. During the prime minister's address at the Barbados Labour Party's (BLP) 83rd annual conference recently, Mottley announced that Cummins will now be responsible for energy and business development, with an emphasis on international business and trade. "I have asked Senator Lisa Cummins to also take responsibility for the Ministry of Energy and Business (Development) because Lisa … was responsible for the (Barbados Coalition of Service Industries)," said Prime Minister Mottley, underscoring Cummins' suitability for the new job due to her training in foreign trade and diplo- macy. Minister Gooding-Edghill is a former human resources director with Elegant Hotels Group.