Tourism Awareness Month Calendar Announced

Port Zante

ZIZ News…Sept. 27, 2010 – Preparations for the 2010 Tourism Awareness Month are ongoing, according to Events Chairman, Allister Williams. In releasing the Activities Calendar for this year, Williams has stated that even in strained economic times, Ministry officials felt that it was important to continually strengthen the industry, upon which the Nation depends, through exercises such as these.

“It is true that the global economy has suffered a number of setbacks over the last few years,” Williams said, “but we see our challenges more as opportunities, for collaborations with stakeholders and to explore creative alternatives for our traditional programmes.”

Tourism Awareness Month focuses on the local community, providing education and awareness of the importance of Tourism, to the local economy. “All of us have a part to play in the success of this industry,” says Williams, “and as little as protecting our environment, providing excellent customer service, preserving our cultural patrimony, being courteous to visitors or simply producing local foods, can positively impact our ability to do just that.”

Planned for October, Tourism Awareness Month comprises a selection of activities, designed to provide information and support to the hospitality division, while educating communities on how they can benefit, both communally and individually, through that sector.

St. Kitts Scenic Railway Tour

“Bearing in mind that Tourism can be a fickle business,” Mr. Williams said, “it certainly bodes well for us to capitalise on any opportunity to promote more than our physical attractiveness, particularly as we are in the middle of the hurricane belt, which creates its own unique share of challenges and difficulties for product maintenance and upgrades.”

Mr. Williams says that the objective of Tourism Awareness Month is to encourage communities, institutions and individuals to partner with the Ministry of Tourism, and to take ownership of an industry that can only succeed through associations with the local community.

“We have much more than beauty to offer,” he said, “we are blessed with extremely charming people, a rich cultural heritage and a thriving business sector which includes impressive strides in light manufacturing among other disciplines. So we can satisfy even the most discriminating traveler’s needs, but if residents do not feel that they are a part of the process, our efforts will be in vain.”

Persons interested in participating in the 2010 Tourism Month, may call the Events Secretariat at Tel. 465 1999 or 465 9123, for more information.

Tourism Awareness Month focuses on the local community, providing education and awareness of the importance of Tourism, to the economy of this country. “All of us have a part to play in the success of this industry,” Williams says, “and as little as protecting our environment, providing excellent customer service, preserving our cultural patrimony, being courteous to visitors or simply producing local foods, can positively impact our ability to do just that.”