High level sustainable tourism discussions must include farmers, fishermen and supply chain members, says Grenada's PM Dickon Mitchell
April 23, 2024
To make the point that sustainable tourism requires the involvement of not just people working in the hospitality sector, Grenada’s Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell started his address at the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) Sustainable Tourism Conference in Grenada on April 22 by asking farmers, fishermen and agro-processors in the room to show their hands.
The response was miniscule.
It validated what he already knew and that is they are not included in high-level meaningful discussions revolving around sustainable tourism and its benefits to the Caribbean which is heavily dependent on the sector.
“We need the partnerships,” Mitchell pointed out. “So it means that when we have a conversation, we probably have to be a little bit more inclusive and invite the farmers, the agro-processors, the fishermen and the supply chain people to help us sustain this tourism industry which the Caribbean is heavily dependent on. Because if we don’t, we will find these people are not going to defend the tourism sector and it also makes it easier for the politicians not to defend the tourism sector.”
Having worked with the hospitality sector in Grenada, Mitchell acknowledged he once felt it was an industry that was pampered, treated quite well and, to a large extent, treated people by rewarding them with low-paying unskilled jobs.
“And there is some element of that,” he said. “And so in Grenada’s case, once upon a time there was a deliberate public campaign that said that tourism was everybody’s business. The question is, ‘Why would we have to do that’? It is because people didn’t believe that tourism was their business. They didn’t believe that tourism was good for them or the country. I think we have come a long way from that and that the average Grenadian, the average Caribbean person accepts and understands the importance of tourism.
“The tourism industry needs to do a better job of making sure that it integrates with, connects with, supports and encourages the other sectors of our society that need to grow as quickly as tourism has grown to ensure that tourism remains sustainable…It is one planet, it is one circle and we can’t live in a silo. And so I, therefore, want to encourage us as we move forward to be more inclusive, to reach out and speak with all the stakeholders whom we need to to make sure that our tourism is a sustainable tourism product.”
The conference is the Caribbean region’s premier event for high-level networking and regional dialogue on sustainable tourism development and provides a platform for tourism policymakers, private sector stakeholders, thought leaders and strategic partners to discuss the issues, challenges and opportunities confronting the region’s future in tourism.
Adam Stewart, the Executive Chairman of Sandals Resorts and Beaches Resorts, was the keynote speaker.
“As I was gathering my thoughts in preparation for coming down here, I said to myself what’s the highest value-added that I could give to this room to try and bridge the gap,” he said. “And the reality is that I sit in a very unique position in my role where I work across 13 Caribbean islands day-to-day in different industries with hospitality being at the centre. The word Caribbean, by virtue of whether we accept it or not, the world put the Caribbean together. It is an archipelago that is united whether we like it or not…Each of these islands has its super powers and it is my belief system that the centre of our core superpower is hospitality.”
Adam Stewart
With many carnivals and other festivals in the Caribbean year-round, Stewart said there is ‘magic happening down here’.
“But we must start this conversation with sustainability and the acceptance that this only works before we get into academia, buzzwords and next-generational thinking,” he said. “This only works if it works for everyone…The public sector has a role and the private sector has a role. And to the degree to which those two things come together determines your cadence and your future.”
This year’s theme was ‘People, Planet, Prosperity, Purpose & Partnership’.
“This theme is relevant at this crucial period in our development as it underscores our collective commitment to fostering and facilitating sustainable tourism practices in the Caribbean region, ensuring that our industry lives a positive legacy for generations to come,” said Grenada’s Tourism, Creative Economy & Culture Minister Adrian Thomas. “…There is no need for us in the region to compete for numbers. As a tourism pie, it is big enough to feed all of us. The Caribbean receives approximately 3.5 per of global arrivals. Therefore, cooperation and collaboration should always be our watchwords.”
Adrian Thomas
Dona Regis-Prosper, the CTO’s first woman Secretary General and Chief Executive Officer, said sustainability is vital for the Caribbean, comprising small island states profoundly impacted by global changes.
“Sustainability is not only about sustainable livelihoods and creating thriving businesses,” she pointed out. “This understanding allows our businesses to prosper, our communities to benefit and our unique culture, the essence of our islands, to be preserved for generations.”
Dona Regis-Prosper (Photo by Ron Fanfair)
The conference featured several general sessions with panellists from around the world, including Canada.
They included Amrita Bhalla who is the founding Managing Director of A.B Consulting (Canada).
The human resources executive said sustainable leadership comes from the heart.
“It is also a learned skill,” the former Toronto Metropolitan University faculty member added. “It is about how we as leaders in this room are governing ourselves and how we are supporting leaders in our organizations to take a different viewpoint on what leadership should look like. It is about doing things differently and thinking differently about the world on a larger scale.”
