Statement from the Minister of Toursim Tourism, more than ever before, is considered a major player in world economies. The UNWTO reported that in 2012 more than 1 billion persons travelled internationally spending more than $us 1.1 trillion, making this one of the single most important sectors in the world. However, while being aware of the economic role tourism plays in alleviating poverty and improving the quality of life of numerous host communities, the UNWTO is also cognizant of the fact that unsustainable development of this industry can have adverse impacts on the social, economic and environmental well-being of host destinations. As the number of international travellers increases, so does the need for resources to satisfy this growing demand. As this major industry competes for scarce resources, it is in the best interest of tourism stakeholders to embrace and promote management practices that efficiently utilize these resources. Recognizing the need to bring awareness and solutions to these issues impacting tourism growth and development, the UNWTO has set aside one day, September 27th, as world tourism day. Last year’s theme focused on “tourism and sustainable energy”. This year’s theme highlights “tourism and water – protecting our shared future”. The Islands of The Bahamas are a coastal region with several popular destinations set within 100,000 square miles of some of the clearest waters in the world. This remarkable characteristic makes this year’s theme particularly fitting for a country like The Bahamas . The potential to utilize our marine resources for recreational use to an increasingly experiential travel market is immense. Our tourism exit survey from departing visitors revealed that more than half of our guests selected The Bahamas as a vacation destination of choice over other competing destinations due to our clear turquoise water. It therefore makes good business sense that we develop and implement effective management plans to protect these assets that are responsible for attracting millions of visitors to our shores. While freshwater is a crucial resource for the sustainable development of the tourism industry, it is also an asset that is becoming increasingly scarce due to increasing demand and incidents of droughts - the result of global warming and climate change. In the last century, global water use has been growing at more than twice the rate of global population and the tourism sector is a major user of water. In The Bahamas , it is estimated that a middle income home uses roughly 50 to 75 gallons of water per person per day, whereby a tourist uses about 150 to 250 gallons per person per day. This singular example vividly expresses the critical need to employ best practices in conserving our water supply and to conduct sustainable business. As stewards of an industry that requires large quantities of quality water to sustain itself, we are obligated to work collaboratively with all stakeholders to promote the effective management of this precious resource. I invite you all to play your part in protecting our common future. Photo: Bahama News Please allow me a spot on your page. Statement from the Minister of Toursim Tourism, more than ever before, is considered a major player in world economies. The UNWTO reported that in 2012 more than 1 billion persons travelled internationally spending more than $us 1.1 trillion, making this one of the single most important sectors in the world. However, while being aware of the economic role tourism plays in alleviating poverty and improving the quality of life of numerous host communities, the UNWTO is also cognizant of the fact that unsustainable development of this industry can have adverse impacts on the social, economic and environmental well-being of host destinations. As the number of international travellers increases, so does the need for resources to satisfy this growing demand. As this major industry competes for scarce resources, it is in the best interest of tourism stakeholders to embrace and promote management practices that efficiently utilize these resources. Recognizing the need to bring awareness and solutions to these issues impacting tourism growth and development, the UNWTO has set aside one day, September 27th, as world tourism day. Last year’s theme focused on “tourism and sustainable energy”. This year’s theme highlights “tourism and water – protecting our shared future”. The Islands of The Bahamas are a coastal region with several popular destinations set within 100,000 square miles of some of the clearest waters in the world. This remarkable characteristic makes this year’s theme particularly fitting for a country like The Bahamas . The potential to utilize our marine resources for recreational use to an increasingly experiential travel market is immense. Our tourism exit survey from departing visitors revealed that more than half of our guests selected The Bahamas as a vacation destination of choice over other competing destinations due to our clear turquoise water. It therefore makes good business sense that we develop and implement effective management plans to protect these assets that are responsible for attracting millions of visitors to our shores. While freshwater is a crucial resource for the sustainable development of the tourism industry, it is also an asset that is becoming increasingly scarce due to increasing demand and incidents of droughts - the result of global warming and climate change. In the last century, global water use has been growing at more than twice the rate of global population and the tourism sector is a major user of water. In The Bahamas , it is estimated that a middle income home uses roughly 50 to 75 gallons of water per person per day, whereby a tourist uses about 150 to 250 gallons per person per day. This singular example vividly expresses the critical need to employ best practices in conserving our water supply and to conduct sustainable business. As stewards of an industry that requires large quantities of quality water to sustain itself, we are obligated to work collaboratively with all stakeholders to promote the effective management of this precious resource. I invite you all to play your part in protecting our common future. Like ·
Posted on: Fri, 27 Sep 2013 10:53:43 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015