OECS to Work Together to Enhance Competitiveness in Tourism

Contact: Rose Marie Harris

Tuesday, May 22, 2001 – The islands comprising the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) have committed themselves to pooling their individual resources together to enhance the tourism product being offered by the regional sub grouping. 

Just back from a two-day OECS Tourism Ministers Meeting, St. Lucia’s Minister for Tourism & Civil Aviation, Honourable Menissa Rambally, explains that one major recommendation the ministers agreed upon is greater collaboration on issues of airlift, competitiveness, marketing and working together to make more effective use of the resources that are available within the Caribbean, with the primary aim of strengthening the tourism product. 

“Where we see the potential for collaborating with smaller islands is on the issue of airlift from the UK market.  Most of the smaller islands are now facing the same challenge in terms of a possible reduction in our charter services out of the UK.   Now there is an opportunity for us as small island states to dialogue or negotiate together with the charter companies in an effort to ensure that we maintain the number of (airline) seats that come out of the UK, into the Caribbean islands,” Minister Rambally said.

Miss Rambally reports that the OECS will also collaborate on marketing with a view to pursuing tourism markets other than the United Kingdom and United States markets.  Germany is one such market, she added, noting that most of the islands of the OECS are now trying to encourage increased airlift out of there into the Caribbean. 

“This is an area which we are hoping to collaborate on, do similar outreach programmes as in the US Market.  By coming together the smaller islands are making themselves a stronger force and I think it is working to the benefit of the OECS generally and at the end of the day it is benefiting each individual territory more significantly,” the minister said.

The May 17 and 18 meeting was held in St. Kitts.

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