Basseterre, St. Kitts, September 27, 2021 (SKNIS): Minister of Tourism, Transport and Ports, the Honourable Lindsay Grant, in observance of World Tourism Day on September 27, congratulated the citizens and residents of St. Kitts and Nevis for the way they have been handling the pandemic during his World Tourism Day Speech.
The theme for World Tourism Day 2021 is “Tourism for Inclusive Growth.”
In his speech, Honourable Grant said that the purpose of this day is to “foster awareness about tourism’s social, cultural, political and economic value and the contribution the sector can make towards sustainable development of our societies.”
“Tourism is a major driver of economic growth with a unique potential to create jobs and opportunities to supplement decent livelihoods. It has a distinctive role in preserving our natural and cultural heritage and promoting the responsible and sustainable use of the natural environment,” Minister Grant said.
Minister Grant, however, added that in the Federation and throughout the entire world, tourism is the sector most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic with it having the most severe economic impact on marginalised groups and the most vulnerable with women being at the top of the list as they make up a significant part of the workforce in the tourism sector.
The Minister of Tourism also spoke about the successes of the “Travel Approved” Certification and Seal Programme, saying that it was developed over a year ago by the Ministry of Tourism and the St. Kitts Tourism Authority.
He said that this programme “has provided all tourism-related business operators and service providers with opportunities for training to safely and responsibly rebuild and restart tourism”
“As of today, I am proud to report that 5,271 persons in the Federation have received the training: 3,557 persons in St. Kitts and 1,714 persons in Nevis, with the highest numbers of trained individuals among the St. Kitts Hotels and Accommodations sector at 867, the St. Kitts Bars and Restaurants sector at 771, our taxi operators at 416 and the SCASPA and Airport team at 403.”
