|
The island of Dominica, the first Green Globe 21 destination in the Caribbean to achieve successful benchmarking, thanks to PA's assistance
|
Through the Caribbean Hotel Environmental Management Initiative (CHEMI), PA has helped to assure that the Caribbean Tourist industry remains profitable while simultaneously helping to assure that the Caribbean’s delicate environment is preserved, thus maintaining its status as a world-class tourist destination.
Funded by the USAID/Jamaica Caribbean Regional Program, CHEMI introduced environmental management to the hotel sector in Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean. PA collaborated with local hotels, local governments and the Caribbean Alliance for Sustainable Tourism (CAST) to promote environmental management best practices. Tasks included: increasing environmental awareness; providing environmental improvement assistance; and, for the island of Dominica, providing institutional strengthening and destination management.
To promote environmental awareness in the region, PA helped to produce and disseminate environmental information, including brochures/tool kits and videos. PA produced six how-to brochures/toolkits on environmental management best practices targeted to the small hotelier. PA also developed and disseminated five training videos on key environmental issues, and equipped resource centers in 12 different countries with environmental information materials.
PA provided environmental improvement assistance by holding briefings, introductory sessions, training courses, and environmental assessment at 200 hotels in seven countries to highlight the benefits of environmental management. We also provided 27 hotels with technical assistance and training on applying for Green Globe 21 benchmarking and certification.
PA also helped improve environment related resources available to hotels in the region. PA provided training and streamlined an environmental consultants registry program. We also developed an information database of environmental products, suppliers and resources available in the Caribbean. In addition, PA developed a monitoring database to record data from the environmental assessment, draw conclusions on the environmental performance of the hotels in the region, and identify trends and areas for improvement.
For the Island of Dominica, a popular tourist destination in the Eastern Caribbean, PA designed and implemented an eco-destination strategy to achieve Green Globe 21 Certification as an eco-tourism destination. PA helped spread public awareness by creating a public awareness campaign to explain the economic benefits of a clean environment. PA worked with the Ministry of Tourism, the National Development Corporation and the private sector in the elaboration of voluntary action plans that will contribute to the protection of the rich bio-diversity and culture of the country, while tapping into the growing niche market of nature/culture/adventure tourism.
