Saint Lucia's Dive Fest Begins this week
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ARC Youth Team 2019 Crew Announcement
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Press Release: Thursday 5
th
September 2019
World Cruising Club is delighted to reveal the twelve crew members who have been selected to sail on board the ARC Youth Team yacht as part of the 2019 Atlantic Rally for Cruisers.
The initiative brings together ambitious young people from Gran Canaria, Saint Lucia and the UK to sail across the Atlantic on board a Tall Ships Youth Trust 72-foot Challenger yacht, supported by a professional skipper and mate and experienced watch leaders.
Young persons aged 18 to 30, will voyage across the Atlantic Ocean to participate in what promises to be an incredible adventure; one that they will all remember for the rest of their lives. It will be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the youth of today to develop their essential life skills for tomorrow.
Funding for the initiative has been raised from benefactors in Gran Canaria and Saint Lucia with a philanthropic interest in supporting these young people enhance their skills.
ARC organizers World Cruising Club are financially supporting two of the selected crew as well as coordinating the planning and logistics of the project.
Tall Ships Youth Trust, the UK's oldest sail-training charity, are specialists in bringing young people together for a unique, physically and mentally challenging residential experience on an ocean sailing vessel and professional skipper Gary Rutherford has sailed with the past three editions of the ARC so the Youth Team crew are in experienced hands.
"We are incredibly excited to be part of this project," remarked Richard Leaman-Grey, CEO of Tall Ships. "Tall Ships have been taking part in the ARC for over 10 years but we have never entered such a young crew. This will be a really challenging voyage for our young people but will undoubtedly be an unforgettable life-changing experience for all on board. This is exactly what the Tall Ships Youth Trust is all about."
The ARC Youth Team will gather in Gran Canaria from the 16 November for a week of sail training and safety guidance before they embark on the 2,700nm sail to the Caribbean.
They will join the spectacular ARC 2019 start from Las Palmas on Sunday 24
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November 2019, alongside around 200 other yachts from over 30 different nationalities who come together to cross the Atlantic as part of world's largest trans-ocean sailing event.
The ARC Youth Team will sail as part of the Racing Division, a competitive class in the ARC, where no engines are allowed and they will be at the will of the weather for the 2,700nm crossing. Sailing the boat 24 hours a day, the crew will work together to cover all aspects of life on board including steering, sail changes, cooking and cleaning duties.
The voyage is anticipated to take 13 to 18 days to reach the shores of Saint Lucia, where a remarkable welcome will await these young sailors as they revel in achieving a truly life changing experience.
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World Tourism Day - to focus on job generation, a better future for all
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- Tourism’s role in job creation is often undervalued. This is despite the fact that tourism generates 10% of world jobs and is included in Sustainable Development Goal 8 for its potential to create decent work.
- New policies are needed to maximize tourism’s potential to create more and better jobs, especially for women and youth. New policies are also needed to reflect and incorporate ongoing advances in technology.
- Policies and actions should be geared towards addressing the current mismatch between tourism skills that are taught and those that tourism employers need.
- This requires a holistic approach to the future of work in tourism, with heightened cooperation between all actors, including the public and private sectors.
World Tourism Day is commemorated each year on 27
th
of September, with celebrations led by the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO). Its purpose is to foster awareness among the global community of tourism’s social, cultural, political and economic value and the contribution the sector can make in reaching the Sustainable Development Goals. In 2019, in line with UNWTO’s overarching focus on skills, education and jobs throughout the year, World Tourism Day will be a celebration on the topic ‘Tourism and Jobs: a better future for all’.
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SLHTA TEF hits Green Gold with Helen’s Daughters!
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Great meeting with Helen’s Daughters and Green Gold representatives Kiethlin Caroo and Aaron Afrifa to discuss collaboration with our Virtual Agricultural Clearing House (VACH). SLHTA stays the course to build stronger linkages between farmers and tourism. We are excited about the possibility of improved trade for our farmers with hotels via this partnership and the genesis of a Rural Women’s Academy.
The current food import bill of St. Lucia is valued at $350 million. Of this, it is estimated that $10-15 million dollars' worth of this can be grown locally and bought by hotels at a lower price than when imported. Furthermore, with 1.1 million visitors to our shores in 2018 and one-third of all visitor expenditure spent on food, there is substantial market for locally grown crops.
The Green Gold team promises to leverage technology to fill in the gaps in the agricultural food tourism system to spur targeted agricultural supply by farmers using four components: Online Produce Marketplace, Farm Support, Distribution Centre and Delivery.
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Dear Hoteliers, President Karolin Troubetzkoy and CEO Noorani Azeez have been communicating with the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association on how we can assist our brothers and sisters in the Bahamas.
Last week, The Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association (CHTA) via Charity Buzz developed an auction site, where all proceeds can go towards aiding those in need in the Bahamas.
We are asking your assistance for the donation of room nights towards this initiative.
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If you have not received a donation form and would like to donate room nights, please contact our Executive Assistant, Juliet Sutherland via email
[email protected]
.
All donation forms should be returned by Wednesday 11
th
September 2019.
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We will then coordinate with CHTA. Donation forms must be accompanied by an image suited for website publication and also attach a logo file.
There will be auction items from around the Caribbean on said site.
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The devastation to the northwestern Bahamas - The Abacos and Grand Bahama is enormous. You can help immediately with cash or in-kind donations.
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The Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) expresses their deepest regret and sadness over the loss of life and damage done to the Abacos and Grand Bahama Island by dangerous category 5 hurricane Dorian.
In the wake of this monstrous storm, we have witnessed the pain of those who lost loved ones, the agony of so many who lost their homes and all their belongings, and the angst of an entire Caribbean concerned for the welfare of the people of these islands. The CTO Hurricane Relief Fund has been established to help people and countries rebuild after disasters.
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Saint Lucia Hospitality & Tourism Association AGM 2019
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Theme: "Tourism: A Catalyst For Sustainable Development of Communities & Commerce"
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CARIBBEAN HOTEL AND TOURISM ASSOCIATION AND THE NATURE CONSERVANCY FORGE TIES
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Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association First Vice President Karen Whitt, left, President Patricia Affonso-Dass, Immediate Past President Karolin Troubetzkoy and CEO and Director General Frank Comito and The Nature Conservancy’s Caribbean Deputy Director Marci Eggers, center, have forged a partnership between the two organizations to help create a more resilient Caribbean.
Photo by CARIBBEAN HOTEL AND TOURISM ASSOCIATION
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The Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) has teamed up with one of the world’s leading environmental organizations; The Nature Conservancy; to help create a more resilient Caribbean, where tourism thrives while communities benefit and natural resources are used sustainably. “It’s a perfect match which brings together CHTA’s private sector members and The Nature Conservancy’s enormous science-based capacity for protecting the lands and waters on which all life and our industry depends,” said the association’s Chief Executive Officer and Director General Frank Comito. Together with Marci Eggers, The Nature Conservancy’s deputy director of the Caribbean Division, signed a memorandum of understanding earlier this summer, which remains in force until June 2021
Read More.
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A Recap on the Linkages Tourism Trade Show
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The SLHTA Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF) hosted another successful Linkages in Tourism Trade show (LITT). The event which was held at the Finance Administrative Centre, Pointe Seraphine, Castries, which provided an avenue for participating companies to showcase a wide variety of locally made products and services.
The diversity in the display this year, kept to the SLHTA’s promise of expanding its linkages programme to include other sectors. The atmosphere at the event was a buzz of excitement as SLHTA members took in the showcase of locally grown mushrooms, local spirits, liquors, chocolates, sauces, crafts and the list goes on.
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“For me what sets this trade show apart from other trade shows I have participated in is how targeted it is. You get to interact with business persons within the hospitality sector,” said president of the St Lucia Network of Rural Women Producers, Robin Darrell.
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Alexis Williams (Funky Fungi) was happy to be there, he was hoping to see his business benefit from LITT and was grateful for the many contacts he made.
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Rural Women Producers received ideas on how to improve their product's visibility by placing a gluten free logo on their locally made chocolate.
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Where 2 Eat (W2E) benefited from LITT 2019, they were able to connect with restaurant owners to develop ideas and contents for their app.
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“Every year LITT continues to surpass the expectations of participants and this year was no different. From networking opportunities and developing business relationships with established companies in the tourism industry, participating companies will continue to derive benefits long after the event, said TEF Programme Manager, Donette Ismael.
She went on to explain that apart from the showcase, participants will be featured in the SLHTA / TEF newsletter and website, and participate in other similar events which will be hosted throughout the year, one of which will be “LINK UP”. The aim is to continue building on the successes that has been achieved so far by linking tourism with all the various sectors.
Businesses and individuals wishing to obtain information about the SLHTA Linkages in Tourism Programme can call the SLHTA Tourism Enhancement Fund at (758) 453-1811 or email
[email protected].
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We Are No Longer Helpless….
Together We Can Help to Rebuild Lives
The saying: “there but for the grace of God go we” looped in my head over the four days that Hurricane Dorian ravaged The Abacos and Grand Bahama in the Bahamas. Who could have envisaged that the tropical storm blowing by Barbados and St. Lucia in the Eastern Caribbean would have turned into the most powerful storm ever to have slammed The Bahamas? We watched helplessly as Dorian pounded the islands for over 72 hours leaving death, destruction and heartbreaking stories of loss, pain and terror in its wake. The road to
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recovery will be long and difficult. Well, we no longer have to watch helplessly, because we can alleviate the suffering of our sister islands and its beleaguered people by applying our collective will to mobilize support – both financial and human – to ensure that we can help our stricken neighbor islands recover and rebuild.
Many in our industry are responding to the call for support. At CHTA we have mobilized initiatives focused on providing both immediate as well as long-term support and we would gratefully thank you if you would lend your support if you’ve not already done so and spread the word - letting your networks know how to help deliver urgent assistance.
Emergency Support – How You Can Help...
To see how you might help with cash and emergency supplies,
click here.
Beyond the emergency relief which is vital, the ongoing task of rebuilding lives, homes, businesses, and infrastructure will take time. We need to support both the relief and the recovery and invite your help for both.
The Long Road to Recovery…..
CHTA is developing several initiatives aimed at supporting the long-term recovery.
Online Charity Auction
“Caribbean Hotels Unite for Bahamas” is launching this week. This is an online auction for the public to bid on donated hotel stays and will reach millions of potential travelers. We are inviting hotels throughout the region to donate room stays valued in excess of $1,000 over the coming days and will follow that immediately with an open online auction. You can support this by contributing a room stay and by spreading the word to invite bidding when the auction webpage is launched in a few days.
We will be working with the national hotel and tourism associations and volunteers in each destination to solicit stays, assist where necessary with follow up and getting the stays loaded online. I am personally appealing to all of our volunteers, association executives and young leaders to coordinate with, and assist, your NHTAs to ensure that this auction is a resounding success. With the support of many we can do so much.
Temp Jobs for Displaced Hospitality Workers
Several thousand displaced hospitality workers will be in need of temporary employment, likely for one to two years. Through our
Caribbean Job Bank
members can post vacancies. After Hurricanes Maria and Irma, we found temporary placements for tourism employees and we hope to do the same again. Vacancies can be posted now on the
Job Bank
. We are developing a specific campaign around this, so stay tuned for more details.
Helping School Children and Training
With many schools destroyed, there will be a need for temporary facilities, books and supplies. The CHTA Education Foundation will also be initiating specific activities targeted at raising funds for educational projects and training. Direct earmarked contributions which are tax deductible for US-based companies and individuals can be made to this to the Foundation
here
.
The Foundation is also undertaking very targeted support through specific fundraisers. Should you have further questions, contact the CHTA Education Foundation at:
[email protected].
General Support for Tourism-Related Projects
As we did with the destinations impacted by Hurricanes Irma and Maria, we will be establishing a fund to support specific long-term recovery projects. These will be needs based and selected in consultation with the Bahamas Hotel and Tourism Association, the Ministry of Tourism and Aviation, and our members in Grand Bahama and the Abacos. This is where our non-hotel travel industry partners and friends of the Caribbean, regionally and globally, will be able to lend their financial support.
There are many ways to help and we’re encouraged already to see so many in our industry stepping up to the plate….feeling a bit of the pain and suffering of our colleagues. It’s times like this where the true character of our people is tested. Not just that of those who have and will suffer directly by this tragedy, but all of us on the sidelines who "there but for the grace of God go we”.
We are #OneCaribbeanFamily!
Patricia Affonso-Dass,
President, Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association
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