The first meeting of the newly commissioned SKNCIC Liaison Committee was held on January 14, 2021. The Body was formed in response to concerns expressed by members of the Private Sector within the Hospitality Sector about the prolonged negative impact of COVID-19 on the sector and the Federation’s overall economy.
The objective of the Liaison Committee is to create a more rigorous consultative process to guide the economic recovery of the Federation’s tourism sector in the first instance. As such, it will act as a liaison between the Private Sector and the Public Sector’s National COVID-19 Task Force. It also intends to be a conduit for effective communication between both sectors.
The President of the Chamber Mrs. Giselle Matthews, opened the meeting by welcoming and thanking stakeholders for accepting her invitation to represent their respective sectors in the Tourism Industry, which represents the largest revenue stream and foreign exchange earner for the Government and Private Sector. The Committee is ably chaired by Mr. Earle Kelly, CIC Director and CEO of The TDC Group and Co-Chaired by Miss Patricia Walters – CIC Director and CEO The Cable.
The Committee comprises representatives from key subsectors within the Tourism Industry, including:
Airline Services, Hotels & Accommodation, Cruise Tours, Yachting, Tours & Destinations, Destination Management Companies & Events, Port Zante Retailers, Restaurant & Bars, and Taxi Services.
Plans are in place to expand the Committee to include representatives from two additional subsectors that benefit indirectly from Tourism, namely, the Craft Vendors and the newly-formed Professional Association for Creativity and Entertainment (PACE).
The Committee commits to its role in helping to drive the economic recovery of the Federation during this period.
