Policy Framework for Nature Heritage Tourism

Contact: John Emmanuel

Friday, April 20, 2001 - Some three years following the inception of the Nature Heritage Tourism Programme on the island, organizers have begun working towards laying down a policy framework to govern the management of those sites in an environmentally sustainable manner.

The formation of the policy framework is expected to harmonize with the programme’s objectives of providing an authentic experience to visitors, while adhering to conservation ethics of environmental sustainability.

Co-ordinator of the Heritage Programme Felix Finisterre says, with the assistance of the Natural Resources Management Unit of the OECS, site operators will be trained to institute and subsequently monitor sustainability measures for the sector.

Finisterre says, “We have chosen a number of sites in St. Lucia to do a number of pilot audits. Those pilot audits will now be used to help us design a framework for St. Lucia, for the implementation of environmental systems.  It will not only be for St. Lucia’s use but will hopefully be replicated in the other OECS territories. So in a sense, St. Lucia is a pilot in this whole activity of trying to work towards site and activities having environmental sustainability,” Finisterre said.

The policy framework will attempt to minimize negative effects of sites’ activities on the environment, examine the effects of the external community on the sites, ensure that tour activities comply with basic environmental standards and enhance St. Lucia’s image as a sustainable tourism destination.

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