Caribbean Sustainable Tourism Criteria

CONTEXT

UNITE Caribbean is a Caribbean consulting agency specialising in regional cooperation. It has developed a regional initiative, in partnership with the NGO Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC), aimed at adapting global sustainable tourism criteria for stakeholders in Caribbean territories.

The initiative falls within the framework of the Caribbean-Climate Regional Integration Support Project (PAIRCC), and is being implemented in 5 Creole-speaking territories in the Caribbean (Haiti, Guadeloupe, Dominica, Martinique and Saint Lucia) with French cooperation funding. UNITE Caribbean has worked with approximately twenty tourism stakeholders from the PAIRCC territories for 8 months (2019-2020) to identify 3 Caribbean Sustainable Tourism criteria grids geared toward tour operators, hotels and hosts, destinations, and institutional actors.
For further information on the PAIRCC

Through this work, together with the main stakeholders, we were able to identify a level of exemplarity that is acceptable for the professionals, and significant for the sustainable development of the region. This level of exemplarity is reflected in stakeholders’ compliance with and implementation of eco-criteria where applicable.
If you too would like to be supported by UNITE Caribbean, please refer to our services

CRITERIA

Tour operators

Hosts

Institutional actors

The 3 Caribbean Sustainable Tourism criteria grids developed within the framework of the PAIRCC project are based on the 3 internationally recognised criteria grids of the NGO Global Sustainable Tourism Council which are consistent with other international criteria.

The criteria serve to:

create awareness among travellers, inhabitants and stakeholders in the region,
support tourism companies in adopting a sustainable development approach,
strengthen public policy, and
demonstrate the exemplary behaviour of stakeholders implementing the criteria.

Moreover, any stakeholders implementing Caribbean Sustainable Tourism criteria in their organisation may apply for GSTC certification. For further information

The criteria are geared toward three stakeholder target groups, namely:

Hotels and hosts: any entities offering accommodation services;
Tour operators: any structures offering excursions and tourism-related activities;
Destinations and institutional actors: “a destination is defined by the World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) as a physical space with or without administrative boundaries in which a visitor can overnight. It’s the cluster of products and services, and of activities and experiences along the tourism value chain and a basic unit of analysis of tourism. A destination incorporates various stakeholders and can network to form larger destinations.”

Each criteria grid is divided into 4 sections:

SECTION A, Sustainable management, including internal and external management systems, and the management of anthropogenic pressures;
SECTION B, Optimising social and economic advantages for the local community;
SECTION C, Enhancing the cultural heritage;
SECTION D, Limiting the environmental impact of activities.

SERVICES

UNITE Caribbean is a Caribbean consulting agency for the implementation of development projects. The agency, which was established in 2017, supports and implements development and cooperation projects with a high economic and social impact in the Caribbean Basin. UNITE Caribbean has offices in Saint Lucia (head office), Guadeloupe (head office), Haiti, Martinique, Saint-Martin/Sint Maarten, and the United States, to support Caribbean stakeholders in developing their sustainable projects by promoting regional technical cooperation and the exchange of experience. UNITE Caribbean is organised into networks of Caribbean consultants and regional partner organisations. It creates teams of multi-sectoral experts to respond to the issues of sustainable development in the Caribbean Basin, beyond language boundaries.

Caribbean Sustainable Tourism support adapted to your needs
Whether you are a private or public stakeholder, or a civil society organisation, UNITE Caribbean and its network of consultants specialising in Caribbean sustainable tourism can support you in the implementation of your sustainable tourism initiatives, as follows :

Training,

Technical assistance,

Facilitation of working groups and networks of stakeholders specialising in sustainable tourism,

Regional approach, and,

Consultation (organisation of brainstorming workshops).

For further information on UNITE Caribbean

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