The Caribbean has much to gain by developing
its sport tourism potential, an expert in this field has said.“There are considerable economic, sport and community benefits to be gained through
developing the niche market that is sport tourism,” said Andrew Preece, a director
of the consultancy firm, PMP. 

Preece explained that sport tourism can take several forms, but primarily involves
hosting sports events - like the International Cricket Council Cricket World Cup
(ICC-CWC) which is scheduled to begin in the Caribbean next month - which bring both
competitors and spectators who spend money in the community generally, and in
tourism amenities such as hotels and restaurants in particular.

Preece, who has been part of the PMP team working on legacy planning for the
Barbados leg of the Cricket World Cup, will be a panelist at the 9th Annual
Caribbean Conference on Sustainable Tourism Development, otherwise called the
Sustainable Tourism Conference (STC-9), in the Cayman Islands in May 2007.  The
general session, “Securing Environmental and Human Capital” takes place on
Wednesday, May 23, 2007.  Preece’s presentation will be on community sport tourism.

“Community sport tourism can lead to improved sport development, enhanced community
pride, and more active populations,” Preece said. 

Preece’s presentation will examine the approach to effective planning for community
sport tourism in order to maximise the benefits, and will include as a case study,
the four step “Community Sport Tourism Planning Programme” developed by 2010
Legacies Now and Tourism British Columbia.

Themed Health and Wellness: Communities, Environments & Economies, STC-9 will be
held May 21-24, 2007, at the Westin Casuarina Resort & Spa in Grand Cayman, the
Cayman Islands.

General sessions include: Health and Wellness Tourism: Opportunities and Challenges;
Securing Environmental and Human Capital; Defining the Way Forward and Stakeholders
Speak Out featuring discussions about “Developing Valuable Tourism Resources Within
Our Communities: the Grand Cayman Go East Initiative,” “Preserving Our Culture:
Preserving a Caymanian Identity,” “Raising the Bar: Customer Service Standards for
the Tourism Sector,” and “The Role of the National Trust in Tourism Development.”

Workshops will focus on “Integrated Coastal Zone Management” and “Developing a Spa
Business.”  There will also be a special presentation by the Puerto Rico Tourism
Company which will provide an update on developments there since Puerto Rico hosted
the 8th Annual Sustainable Tourism Conference (STC-8) in April 2006.

The annual Caribbean Conference on Sustainable Tourism Development is part of the
information dissemination and regional awareness component of CTO’s Strategy for
Sustainable Tourism.  It looks at how member states can design and implement
sustainable tourism policies and programs, offering a regional forum for information
exchange on the successes and pitfalls of national, regional and international
initiatives.

STC-9 is organized by CTO in collaboration with the Cayman Islands Department of
Tourism, and in consultation with the Caribbean Hotel Association (CHA). It is
co-financed by the European Union within the framework of the Caribbean Regional
Sustainable Tourism Development programme (CRSTDP).
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