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The Caribbean Has Much to Gain from the Development of
the Niche Market, Sport Tourism
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Sports Tourism Expert Andrew Preece to Address the 9th Annual Caribbean Conference
on Sustainable Tourism Development, May 21-24, 2007, Cayman Islands
BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (Feb 20, 2007) � The Caribbean has much to gain by developing its sport tourism potential, an expert in this field has said.
 
�There are considerable economic, sport and community benefits to be gained through developing the niche market that is sport tourism,� said Andrew Preece, a director of the consultancy firm, PMP.  
 
Preece explained that sport tourism can take several forms, but primarily involves hosting sports events - like the International Cricket Council Cricket World Cup (ICC-CWC) which is scheduled to begin in the Caribbean next month � which bring both competitors and spectators who spend money in the community generally, and in tourism amenities such as hotels and restaurants in particular.
 
Preece, who has been part of the PMP team working on legacy planning for the Barbados leg of the Cricket World Cup, will be a panelist at the 9th Annual Caribbean Conference on Sustainable Tourism Development, otherwise called the Sustainable Tourism Conference (STC-9), in the Cayman Islands in May 2007.  The general session, �Securing Environmental and Human Capital� takes place on Wednesday, May 23, 2007.  Preece�s presentation will be on community sport tourism.
 
�Community sport tourism can lead to improved sport development, enhanced community pride, and more active populations,� Preece said  
 
Preece�s presentation will examine the approach to effective planning for community sport tourism in order to maximise the benefits, and will include as a case study, the four step �Community Sport Tourism Planning Programme� developed by 2010 Legacies Now and Tourism British Columbia.
 
Themed Health and Wellness: Communities, Environments & Economies, STC-9 will be held May 21-24, 2007, at the Westin Casuarina Resort & Spa in Grand Cayman, the Cayman Islands.
 
General sessions include: Health and Wellness Tourism: Opportunities and Challenges; Securing Environmental and Human Capital; 
Defining the Way Forward and Stakeholders Speak Out featuring discussions about �Developing Valuable Tourism Resources Within Our Communities: the Grand Cayman Go East Initiative,� �Preserving Our Culture: Preserving a Caymanian Identity,� �Raising the Bar: Customer Service Standards for the Tourism Sector,� and �The Role of the National Trust in Tourism Development.�
 
Workshops will focus on �Integrated Coastal Zone Management� and �Developing a Spa Business.�  There will also be a special presentation by the Puerto Rico Tourism Company which will provide an update on developments there since Puerto Rico hosted the 8th Annual Sustainable Tourism Conference (STC-8) in April 2006.
 
The annual Caribbean Conference on Sustainable Tourism Development is part of the information dissemination and regional awareness component of CTO�s Strategy for Sustainable Tourism.  It looks at how member states can design and implement sustainable tourism policies and programs, offering a regional forum for information exchange on the successes and pitfalls of national, regional and international initiatives. 
 
STC-9 is organized by CTO in collaboration with the Cayman Islands Department of Tourism, and in consultation with the Caribbean Hotel Association (CHA). It is co-financed by the European Union within the framework of the Caribbean Regional Sustainable Tourism Development programme (CRSTDP).
 
Caribbean Regional Sustainable Tourism Development Programme  
 
The CRSTDP is an eight million euro programme, implemented over a three year period, by the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO), the Caribbean Hotel Association (CHA) and the Pontificia Universidad Catolica Madre y Maestra (PUCMM) as implementing agencies. 
 
It gives the opportunity to have the main Caribbean tourism public and private sector organisations (CTO and CHA) work co-operatively and share responsibilities in programme activities and implementation.
 
Funded by the European Union, the CRSTDP�s objective is to contribute to making the Caribbean tourism sector more competitive and more sustainable, contributing to economic growth and poverty reduction and to fostering the sustainability and competitiveness of the Caribbean tourism sector through the establishment of a sustainable development policy framework. 
 
The Cayman Islands  

The Cayman Islands is a destination with a unique and exciting historic, natural and maritime heritage.  The Cayman Islands is comprised of three islands: Grand Cayman, home to a vibrant port capital George Town and a thriving financial sector; and Little Cayman and Cayman Brac, �the sister islands,� with their attractive coastlines and unspoiled areas of natural landscape and vegetation -- a true nature lovers �paradise.� 

Blessed with one of the world�s most beautiful reef systems and a healthy marine environment, the destination offers visitors an unforgettable underwater experience; whether they engage in snorkeling and diving activities or venture below the water�s surface onboard a submarine.  For those who have a robust taste for life and want to experience more adventure and exhilaration, the trio of islands has the supreme recipe for sports enthusiasts, not only in water but also on land; from walking, biking and hiking to golfing, fishing and taking part in a game of cricket or rugby.

The Cayman Islands offers a diverse tourism product which embraces not only its land and marine environments but also showcases its cultural and built heritage, experienced in the culinary delights presented by the wide array of restaurants on the islands; the music, the arts and crafts, the museums, the traditional buildings and, especially, in the interaction with the people of Cayman.
 
The Caribbean Tourism Organization

The Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO), with headquarters in Barbados and marketing operations in New York, London and Toronto, is the Caribbean�s tourism development agency and comprises membership of over 30 governments and a myriad of private sector entities.

The CTO�s mission is to provide to and through its members, the services and information needed for the development of sustainable tourism for the economic and social benefit of the Caribbean people.  

The organization provides specialized support and technical assistance to member countries in the areas of marketing, human resource development, research and statistics, information technology and sustainable tourism development.  The CTO disseminates information on behalf of its member governments to consumers and the travel trade. 

CTO�s New York office is located at 80 Broad Street, 32nd Floor, New York, NY 10004, USA; Tel: (212) 635-9530; Fax: (212) 635-9511; E-mail: [email protected].  CTO�s London office is located at 22 The Quadrant, Richmond, Surrey TW9 1BP, England. Tel: 011 44 208 948 0057; Fax: 011 44 208 948 0067; E-mail: [email protected]; CTO Canada is located at 2 Bloor Street West, Suite 2601, Toronto, Ontario M4W 3E2, Canada. Tel: (416) 935 0767; Fax: (416) 935 0939. E-mail [email protected]. CTO Headquarters is located at One Financial Place, Collymore Rock, St. Michael, Barbados; Tel: (246) 427-5242; Fax: (246) 429-3065; E-mail: [email protected].  For more information, please visit www.doitcaribbean.com or www.onecaribbean.org.  

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Contact:

Johnson JohnRose, CTO
Tel: (246) 427-5242
E-mail: [email protected]

 

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Also See: Recognizing Best Practices in Tourism Development, the World Travel & Tourism Council Names 12 Finalists for Tourism for Tomorrow Awards 2007 / January 2007
Tourism for Tomorrow Awards 2006 Showcases the World�s Leading Examples of Best Practice in Tourism Development / January 2006

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