The International Council of Tourism Partners (ICTP) welcomed St. Kitts Tourism Authority to its destination membership. St. Kitts is located in the Eastern Caribbean; it is an island that is 69 square miles with a population of 31,880, and its capital is Basseterre. The main economies are from agriculture, tourism, and light manufacturing, and the main language spoken is English.

Right now there is an island-wide promotion that runs from April 9 through December 18, 2012, asking visitors to fall in love with St. Kitts – appropriate when you consider that the slogan at the St. Kitts Tourism Authority website is “follow your heart.” This spring through fall promotion offers travelers a myriad of discounts on selected hotels and resorts, as well as tours, shopping, and car rentals.

“There’s so much to see and do on St. Kitts that you won’t want to spend too much time indoors, which makes its Brimstone Hill Fortress - a World Heritage site – a very logical venue when you find out it is a favorite among meeting and event planners from far and wide,” said ICTP Chairman Juergen Steinmetz, “On St. Kitts they call them fresh air meetings, and most of the outdoor venues and attractions can accommodate groups large and small.”

A late-comer to the pursuit of tourism as a primary driver for the island’s economy, St. Kitts is uniquely positioned in the Caribbean to be able to structure their developing tourism product along the principles of environmental sustainability. Since putting the focus on tourism in 2005, St. Kitts has taken firm steps to preserve and protect its marine environment, established a national forest reserve, and implemented strict governmental requirements to ensure that all its new resort developments are created to conform to current eco-friendly and sustainable practices.

Eco-tourism is one of the fastest-growing sectors in the global tourism arena and this trend will continue to grow, especially with consumer trends indicating the increase in demand for products and destinations to focus on environmental best practices and sustainable tourism development. Eco-tourism and green tourism is and will continue to be a sector for sustainable growth and development of tourism in St. Kitts.