The good news is that there is optimism and a positive outlook for the future of tourism in the Caribbean region.
The bad news is that all Caribbean countries that cater to tourists – including the Cayman Islands – must begin to act now to protect the very things visitors come to see.
If we don’t soon come up with a good, long range plan to protect our environment, we put ourselves in danger of losing the tourists and the simple joy of living in the Caribbean.
That was just part of the message from Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as he opened the Caribbean Hotel Industry Conference in Miami Sunday.
Mr. Kennedy maintains that if we don’t take care of the environment now we will be cheating our children.
He’s right.
All of us in the Cayman Islands need to be good stewards of the pieces of earth we call home.
Actions as small as picking up trash along roadsides will go a long way to keeping the Cayman Islands pristine.
But caring for the environment and nature is about more than just making sure trash is removed.
The beautiful coral that graces our sea waters and attracts divers from around the world is threatened by people, global warming and boaters.
While Mr. Kennedy left the audience of more than 1,000 listeners to mull ideas of environmental protection, another speaker questioned the viability of expanding tourism in the region too quickly.
The president of the Caribbean Hotel Association said everyone needs to take a closer look at infrastructure and human resources.
That is certainly true in the Cayman Islands, especially when it comes to employee training.
More often than not, the first person a visitor encounters in the Cayman Islands is a member of the service industry.
These individuals must be trained in Cayman’s heritage and be able to speak intelligently about the country and its sites of interest and be capable of giving precise and correct directions.
First impressions are the most lasting and those who a visitor encounters first need to make a positive impression for the sake of their business and the country.
Crime, too, must be addressed
Crime and anti-social behaviour are well documented in some Caribbean countries and is, unfortunately, seeping into the Cayman Islands.
We must all do our part to help the police solve the growing crime problem.
From the opening remarks at the conference it appears that the movers and shakers in the tourism industry of the Caribbean have the right items on the agenda.
Taking part are Cayman’s own Tourism Minister Charles Clifford and Tourism Director Pilar Bush.
We anxiously await their return and positive suggestions of how to help tourism in the Cayman Islands grow while maintaining our heritage and preserving our environment.
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