Basseterre, St. Kitts, September 28 2020 (ZIZ News): As the federation joins countries around the world in observing World Tourism Day, Minister of Tourism Hon. Lindsay Grant made an address to the nation guided by this year’s theme “Tourism and Rural Development.”
Minister Grant spoke of the significance of the observation of World Tourism Day which is observed on September 27th.
“It is a day that has been celebrated every year for the past 40 years in observance of tourism’s social, cultural, political and economic value. An industry that employs one in every ten persons worldwide. Tourism has a unique potential to create jobs and opportunities as well as having a distinctive role in preserving and promoting natural and cultural heritage.”
Regarding the theme of Tourism and Rural Development, Minister Grant said a renewed focus on rural communities and tourism is timely and important as tourism can be a lifeline for many rural communities and the persons living there.
He said the Ministry of Tourism is hosting workshops this year to further promote tourism and rural development.
“The community building virtual workshop started on Sept. 22nd and will continue to November 12th. It is a three phased workshop that includes both online and in person sessions and focuses on training women to develop and own community tourism based businesses. The basics of community tourism, marketing concepts and strategies, financial management skills and information on how to build a support network comprise the curriculum.
Minister Grant said the Backyard Garden Competition which is a collaborative effort, will be open to anyone.
“The Backyard Garden competition is held in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture and it concentrates on promoting the significance of food security. Placing an emphasis on increasing awareness of healthy eating and how important it is to provide fresh vegetables for domestic consumption. The competition is open to everyone by registering with the department of Agriculture. The competition starts October 31st with a final judging taking place on February 21st 2021.”
Reflecting on the last six months, the tourism minister said he is proud of the discipline and resolve of the people of the federation “when faced with the challenges of the global pandemic thrust up the tourism sector.”
He said while the pandemic affected the outlook for 2020, tourism will rebound “as the tourism product remains outstanding and continues to inspire visitors to come to our shores.”