The multi island destination will host a mega Virtual Tourism Stakeholders’ Conference, on the 4th and 5th August to accelerate the relaunch of the country’s tourism product, following the recent eruption of the La Soufriere volcano. The 2021 Virtual Tourism Stakeholders’ Conference is expected to provide a forum for industry leaders and stakeholders to collaboratively and strategically address concerns affecting the restart of the Tourism and Hospitality Industry. The theme of the conference is “Reconnect, Rethink and Rebuild Stronger Together”, it posits aninclusive approach to engage valuable stakeholders in the restructuring of the destination’s tourism recovery plans.
Participants are eagerly anticipating a high-level Virtual Tourism Stakeholders’ Conference which will feature a panel of leading stakeholders within the Tourism and Hospitality Industry. In addition, stakeholders could expect a fount of knowledge from two adept and prominent regional keynote speakers; on day one of the conference former CEO and Secretary General of the Caribbean Tourism Organisation and former visionary Minister of Tourism of the Bahamas Mr. Vincent Vanderpool-Wallace will present on the theme of the conference. Mr. Wallace will share insight of the valuable tourism experiences he has garnered over the years. Furthermore, Dean of the faculty of Social Sciences Dr.Acolla Cameron-Lewis will address the virtual audience on ‘Innovation in the Face of Crisis’. Dr. Cameron has a wealth of knowledge in tourism policy, and marketing. Her invaluable shared experiences will equip and provide stakeholders with actionable steps to rejuvenate the industry during this challenging time.
“We have had our share of challenges from Covid-19 to a major natural disaster, but we remain resilient and hopeful that we can rebuild stronger and better with tourism being a critical
component to the country’s economic recovery,” Carlos James, Minister of Tourism, Civil Aviation, Sustainable Development and Culture said.
The tourism minister outlined that the relaunch of the country’s tourism product is a call to action for the global travel and tourism market to join in solidarity with St. Vincent and the Grenadines at this critical time by promoting travel to the 32 Islands and Cays.
“We are anticipating an exciting third and a positive fourth quarter, which includes the commencement of construction work on two major hotels, Beaches Resort by Sandals International and Holiday Inn Express, the opening of a new La Vue hotel and the inaugural flight of Virgin Atlantic, facilitating direct access to the European market,” Minister James said.
The conference will also feature discussions on new protocols for the tourism sector in preparation for the restart of the Cruise Tourism Industry.
Stakeholders are encouraged to participate in the conference via live Facebook streaming on any of the following social media platforms @TourismSVG, @Vc3, @ DiscoverSVG and YouTube https://youtu.be/swLlm9FdwGk.
St. Vincent and the Grenadines is comprised of 32 islands and cays and is known for its pristine sailing and diving waters. The multi island state was ranked #4 in Best Caribbean Honeymoon and # 5 in Best places to visit in the Caribbean for 2021 by U. S News