Counterpart International, producers of the Caribbean Media Exchange on Sustainable Tourism (CMEx), is launching a new series of communications workshops for Caribbean media professionals, the travel and tourism industry and the public and private sector.The Washington-based non-profit organisation this week unveiled CMExpress, The One-Day Series, designed to sharpen core communications skills on key tourism linkages, such as community and geo-tourism, cricket, culture and heritage, diaspora and multicultural markets, the environment, HIV/AIDS and young people.

“After six successful sessions, CMEx is shifting into high gear, and distilling all the debate, education, and energy of its past sessions into a one-day interactive training session to hone the skills of professionals in the tourism community,” said Mr. Lelei LeLaulu, President of Counterpart International.

The inaugural CMExpress is slated for Kingston, Jamaica on Friday, November 19, 2004 to coincide with the UNFPA, United Nations Population Fund 2004 Caribbean Media Awards, co-produced by Counterpart International.

“The journalists who have been exposed to CMEx have definitely taken a different attitude towards reporting tourism,” noted Executive Vice-President of the Barbados Hotel and Tourism Association, Sue Springer. She observed more journalists participating in tourism events and symposia on the island and has noticed that “they are conscientiously checking facts in their stories before they hit the press.”
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