Basseterre, St. Kitts, November 02, 2018 (SKNIS): Minister of Tourism, the Honourable Lindsay Grant, is urging the general public to keep our country clean at all times so as to further enhance the tourism product, which adds to the overall positive experience of visitors.
“We need to clean up after ourselves. When we visit our pristine beaches or go on a hike… please take back what you brought with you. Take pride in your country and do not litter or throw your garbage in the bushes or any other areas not designated for dumping. It affects us very badly when we do not maintain cleanliness,” said the Minister.
He noted that the tourism sector in St. Kitts “is widely acknowledged as the major engine of economic growth and social development” as it employs approximately 25 percent of the nation’s workforce and contributes 26 percent of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The GDP is a monetary value of the goods and services produced in a country over a one-year period.
Minister Grant said the upward trend in tourism must continue because “our spectacular and unique landscape defines why, year after year, visitors come to our shores by air and sea.” He noted that citizens and residents will help to keep this momentum going by keeping the country clean.
“In other words, if our tourism industry was to fail then St. Kitts will be in some serious trouble, and everyone would feel the impact. It is therefore crucial and worth repeating that tourism is everyone’s business,” he said. “It is vital that we think daily of how our day-to-day activities affect our beautiful twin-island Federation,” Minister Grant added.
In July 2018, St. Kitts was recognized by The Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA) as a marquee tourist destination with the arrival of the one millionth cruise passenger during the 2017-2018 Cruise Season. This marked the first time that the one millionth cruise passenger milestone was achieved in a single season.
