The Government of Dominica through the Ministry of Tourism and Culture and Discover Dominica Authority (DDA), will partner with stakeholders in the tourism sector to chart the way forward in keeping with Government’s vision for climate resilience.   The Fort Young Hotel in Roseau will be the location of the industry’s National Tourism Policy Workshop that will take place on Wednesday January 23rd, 2019 from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

 A selection of 40 key stakeholders representing different segments of the tourism industry will attend the workshop to develop the overarching vision, mission, objectives, and targets for the tourism industry. 

This exciting, and down-to-earth workshop will be facilitated by the global tourism consultancy, Tourism Intelligence International. The company’s international team of experts that will attend this workshop include Dr. Auliana Poon, Tourism and Technology Strategist; Yvonne Armour-Hill, Tourism Human Resources Expert; Mr. Kevon Wilson, Senior Analyst; and Dr. Christian Potthoff-Sewing, Global Investment Specialist.

The team of consultants will work with participating stakeholders to develop a future-oriented, market-driven and globally-relevant National Tourism Policy that will ensure tourism benefits each and every Dominican.

The National Tourism Policy Workshop will deploy the German Goal Oriented Project Planning (GOPP) Method, which is an interactive workshop technique that promises to involve all participating stakeholders. This German planning tool is a robust, effective and state-of-the-art workshop moderation technique that helps groups to define clear objectives and design implementable and achievable strategies.

According to Colin Piper, CEO of DDA, “the National Tourism Policy is a critical initiative for the growth and sustainable development of Dominica’s tourism”.  He adds that “the natural and cultural heritage resources that make up the foundation for tourism in Dominica are fragile and irreplaceable.  It is therefore essential that tourism development be carefully planned and managed”.  We know too well, the effects that natural disasters such as hurricane Maria has had on the destination. Dominica is the Nature Isle and without its natural resources there is no tourism product to sell. Similarly, without the people of Dominica, tourism development will be impossible.

Critical to the success of tourism in Dominica is the conservation of both cultural and natural resources; that local communities and the people of Dominica benefit and are truly involved in the planning and implementation of tourism; that tourism development takes place in a sustainable manner; and that partnerships among government, the private sector and local communities become key vehicles for achieving Dominica’s strategy of sustainable tourism development.

The development of eco-tourism as a lead sector is not simply the development and management of national parks or conservation of wildlife, but involves an entire system of wealth-creating activities – from production and marketing activities to government regulation and enforcement. 

As such, the National Tourism Policy will focus on using tourism as a vehicle to create wealth and activate other sectors of the economy, particularly the services sector and the environment.  For example, the linkage between eco-tourism and the environmental services value chain will be explored and developed as well as those with organic agriculture, wildlife adventure, health and wellness and others.

For more information on Dominica, contact Discover Dominica Authority at 767 448 2045. Or, visit Dominica’s official website: www.DiscoverDominica.com, see Dominica’s updates on the tourism sector post Hurricane Maria: www.dominicaupdate.com, follow Dominica on Twitter and Facebook and take a look at our videos on YouTube.