From Caribbean360

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, CMC – The Barbados-based Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) and the Trinidad-based Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) have agreed a plan to address health, safety and environmental (HSE) issues that threaten the sustainability of Caribbean tourism industry

“This partnership will benefit member countries through greater mutual understanding, and collaboration, as well as strong public-private sector intersectoral partnerships at national and regional levels between tourism, health and environment stakeholders supporting a cohesive and coordinated approach to combatting adverse health, safety and environmental incidents”, the two organizations said in a statement.

Food and water-borne illnesses are the most common illnesses among travellers to the Caribbean resulting in losses of over US$250 million to the hotel sector between 2000 and 2005, according to CARPHA. It said between 2003 and 2013 there were 28 diarrheal outbreaks on Caribbean cruises.

“Health and safety issues pose serious threats and are cross cutting factors that significantly influence the quality, competitiveness and sustainability of Caribbean tourism. Addressing these issues collectively is important to safeguard tourism development in the region,” said CARPHA’s executive director, Dr. C James Hospedales.

CTO secretary general, Hugh Riley said in order for tourism to be sustainable “we must keep the right balance among economic, health and environmental interests, which requires the full support of all the key partners.

“This agreement with CARPHA is a demonstration of our commitment to lead sustainable tourism and to help strengthen our members’ reputation, comparative advantage and resilience by facilitating safer and healthier destinations,” he added.

Other anticipated benefits of this arrangement include fewer and less costly outbreaks in the tourism industry; strengthened human resource capacity and skills in health, food safety, and environmental management; a healthier and more productive workforce; improved coastal and recreational water quality; industry-wide, hotel and cruise ship based public health surveillance, information and monitoring systems; and fewer work-related accidents and incidents.

The two organizations have agreed to develop and implement sustainable public health surveillance, monitoring and response systems for hotels and cruise ships; establish a health, safety and environmental standards certification and recognition system and implement a health and wellness programme in the tourism workplace.

For more on this story go to: http://www.caribbean360.com/news/cto-carpha-agree-plan-to-ensure-sustainability-of-caribbean-tourism?utm_source=Caribbean360%20Newsletters&utm_campaign=723500ff7e-Vol_9_Issue_107_News5_29_2014&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_350247989a-723500ff7e-39393477