MINISTRY OF TOURISM HOLDS FIRST PHASE OF ‘FUTURE TOURISM BUSINESS ADAPTATION PROGRAMME’

Basseterre, St. Kitts, September 27, 2021 (SKNIS): Minister of Tourism, Transport and Ports, the Honourable Lindsay Grant, said the Ministry of Tourism held a ‘Future Tourism Business Adaptation Programme’ to train forty-six primarily women-headed micro, small and medium enterprises in the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis. Minister Grant was at the time making his address for World Tourism Day on September 27.  
 
The programme is jointly funded by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the University of the West Indies (UWI) and the Frankfurt School of Finance and Management, covering concepts such Digital Technologies, Financial Planning and Marketing.
 
Minister Grant stated that the purpose of this programme was “to ensure our human capacity development agenda keeps pace with a rapidly evolving and dynamic industry. Both internal staff and external stakeholder businesses have been participating in a number of virtual and face-to-face seminars that have provided practical insights into the future of work in the sector and techniques for transitioning to the ‘new normal’ that will define the industry.”
 
He said the first phase of the eighteen-month long programme ends in September of this year.
 
“In this period of recovery, this training is indeed timely and practical to help these vulnerable businesses adapt to increased demands for enhanced health and safety practices, use of blockchain technologies such as mobile payment systems, digitalised tourism services and other platforms which will expand visitor choices, spur innovation and development, and facilitate access to markets within tourism value-chains.”
 
“Moreover, the programme complements core projects already being implemented by the Ministry and is aligned with key UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s) that promote gender equality, poverty reduction and support for sustainable cities and communities,” he added.
 
Minister Grant said that promoting gender equality, poverty reduction and support for sustainable cities and communities remains the Ministry of Tourism’s mandate and mission as the Federation continues on the journey to rebuild and reinvigorate the local tourism sector.