Tourism is Key: so says officials at Eleventh Annual Banquet

The importance of tourism to the local economy was underscored by Tourism Minister the Hon Richard Skerrit when he addressed the 11th Tourism Banquet on Saturday night.

It took place at World Heritage Site, Brimstone Hill Fortress National Park.

Skerrit said everyone must be involved in the development of Tourism as it impacts all areas of the community. He called on the media to forget about the rumours and the information coming from the talk shows and report the facts.

Meanwhile the guest speaker Josef Fortsmayr of Jamaica says tourism is responsible for injecting thirty five billion dollars into the regional economy and could reach seventy billion US dollars in ten years time.

He spoke and expounded on the four pillars of Tourism which are Advocacy by the Governments and citizens, Linkages, Regional Integration and Regional Promotion.

During the Banquet a number of persons and Buisinesses were recognized for their contribution to the development of Tourism in St Kitts. Both the Prime Minister the Right Honourable Dr Denzil Douglas and Tourism Minister Honourable Richard Skerritt were presented with copies of the Tourism Regional Campaign Booklet.

Unoma Allen was the MC for the night and supported by the Modern Image Band while members of the audience won prizes compliments a number of Tourism Stakeholders including Telecommunication providers LIME and DIGICEL.