The Caribbean Media Exchange on Sustainable Tourism (CMEx), the conference which attracts Caribbean, North American and European media practitioners to discuss sustainable tourism development in island nations, has announced that it will be held during May 15-19, 2003 in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.
Counterpart International president, Lelei LeLaulu, one of the principal organisers of the media meeting, said that the organisers were pleased to bring the fourth CMEx to the Spanish-speaking Island and home of Simon Suarez, the current president of the Caribbean Hotel Association. “Its also home of Frank Rainieri, the visionary President of the Punta Cana Group, who has skillfully developed his environmentally-friendly property (Punta Cana Resort and Club),” said LeLaulu.
CMEx has developed into the regions premier conference on sustainable tourism education for local, regional and international journalists and editors. The conference is co-produced by Counterpart International, its Barbados-based partner, Counterpart Caribbean, Caribbean Hotel Association, Caribbean Alliance for Sustainable Tourism, Air Jamaica, Caribbean Hotel Association Charitable Trust (“Life Needs the Caribbean”), EarthVoice and the Caribbean Broadcasting Union.

Punta Cana Resort and Club was built based on an underlying philosophy of conservation of the natural surroundings. Blessed with lush vegetation, white sand beaches and crystal clear waters, the resort also is home to a 5,000 square-foot laboratory where students and faculty from Cornell University and universities in the Dominican Republic identify, isolate and perform research on Caribbean island plants, animals, marine and microbial organisms that may offer promise as the foundations for new medicines.
LeLaulu, whose organisation has been a worldwide pioneer in the field of sustainable development for almost four decades, said delegates will focus on “Maximising the Economic Impact of Tourism” during the four day conference, which will reserve a day to examine some of the resorts “clean, green and pristine” initiatives and other sustainable development program’s that attract thousands of visitors the world over.
Jamaica and the Bahamas have hosted the three earlier CMEx conferences which focus on different aspects of sustainable tourism and how the media can contribute to the design of sound policies.
Journalists or editors wishing to attend the conference should contact Lorraine Ortiz at [email protected]. The organisers are offering a limited number of fellowships, including air, hotel accommodation and meals.
For further information, visit www.caribbeanmediaexchange.com.

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