Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/944430
B M & T ••• January/February 2018 ••• www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com 20 general timelines for the re-opening of hotels. The panellists were also able to speak about the channels being used to let others know that the countries are open for business and the ways in which they seek to manage visitor expectations. The session's hosts gave suggestions on approaches that could be adopted to improve the chances of media coverage on the various destinations, advis- ing that the officials would first need to consider how to attract the par- ticular audience's attention to the story. The McKenzie brothers recommended, as well, that the stories must be about people, and to build on those stories by creatively weaving in information about the territory, what it has to offer and how it aims to achieve sustainability. In a true Caribbean fashion, the participants also used the Forum as a storytelling opportunity, sharing first-hand accounts of the devastation and recovery efforts that might not have fallen within the discussion areas. They also committed to keep providing the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) with regular updates to be shared with the wider public. The roundtable was the latest effort by the CTO to provide avenues for impacted countries to disseminate detailed, first-hand accounts of their status, including the efforts to rebuild and reopen their countries. In addition to being the hub for reliable information for both media and the general public before and after the storms, the CTO also facilitat- ed the sharing of information on what was needed to recover and rebuild stronger by organising a special session at the State of the Tourism Industry Conference in Grenada last October. A number of key entities and partners, including the Caribbean Development Bank, the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency, The Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association, airlines, cruise lines, and telecommunications companies, shared invaluable details at that session. "The CTO was both proactive and reactive in providing regular updates and granting interviews to virtually every major media outlet in our key markets during and after the hurricanes on a daily basis using information provided by official government sources from the destina- tions that were both adversely impacted as well as those that were spared any damage from the storms," according to Hugh Riley, the secretary gen- eral. "Our use of social media has been prolific. In addition, we worked closely with the private sector through our partner, the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association, to gather information from the hotels in order to properly inform all media which hotels were open and which facilities were damaged. In this way, a daily report was provided to the media with real-time information on the hotels and the destinations following the hurricanes. "The roundtable at the Climate Smart Sustainable Tourism Forum was one more such opportunity provided by the CTO as we continue to seek avenues to help all our member countries tell their stories. Of the six destinations on stage, three had been visited by us immediately after the hurricanes, so the details we were able to provide in those critical early stages were also first-hand accounts," Mr. Riley explained. The CSSTF, which was organised jointly with the St. Kitts Ministry of Tourism, was the region's bespoke event in observance of the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development, themed, "Good for Use, Better for All". ABOUT ST. KITTS Since the adoption of Tourism as the primary eco- nomic driver of the island in 2005, St. Kitts has been a regional leader in Sustainable Tourism development and des- tination management. The first of two Caribbean adopters of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) Early Adopter Program for Sustainable Destinations, St. Kitts has implemented a range of holis- tic and progressive initiatives that address environmental, economic and sociocultural sustainability. The winner of the 2014 CTO/Travel Mole Sustainable Tourism Award in Destination Stewardship, St Kitts is also a founding member of the Sustainable Destination Alliance of the Americas. Groundbreaking programs such as The Heart of St. Kitts Foundation and Sustainability Charter are helping St. Kitts remain a vibrant, sustainable destination to live in and visit for years to come. St. Kitts serves as a model of excellence in destination-driven sustainable tourism development, that can be applied to other destinations in the Caribbean and beyond. With its intoxicating natural beauty, sunny skies, warm waters, and sandy beaches, St. Kitts is one of the most seductive spots in the Caribbean. Located in the northern Leeward Islands, it offers a diverse tourism product developed from the destination's natural beauty, cul- tural heritage and rich history. The island's stunning variety of tourism attractions include hiking through the tropical rainforest, riding the sce- nic railway that connects the island's former sugar plantations, visiting the Caribelle Batik factory, and touring Brimstone Hill Fortress National Park, which is an UNESCO World Heritage Site. Among the more traditional vacation pastimes available are watersports, golf, shop- ping, tennis, dining, gaming at St. Kitts' exclusive casino or simply relax- ing on the beach. For more information about St. Kitts, visit www.stkittstourism.kn. ABOUT THE CARIBBEAN TOURISM ORGANIZATION The Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO), with headquarters in Barbados and offices in New York and London, is the Caribbean's tourism development agency comprising membership of the region's finest countries and territories including Dutch, English, French and Spanish, as well as a myriad of private sector allied members. The CTO's vision is to position the Caribbean as the most desirable, year round, warm weather destination, and its purpose is Leading Sustainable Tourism - One Sea, One Voice, One Caribbean. Among the benefits to its members the organization provides special- ized support and technical assistance in sustainable tourism development, marketing, communications, advocacy, human resource development, event planning & execution and research & information technology. In addition the CTO, in partnership with the Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association, jointly and equally owns the Caribbean Tourism Development Company, a marketing and business development enti- ty dedicated to promoting the Caribbean brand worldwide. For more information on the Caribbean Tourism Organization, please visit www.OneCaribbean.org .