Caribbean Tourism Organization Signs Agreement With Caribbean Disaster Emergency Response Agency
Freeport, Bahamas - The Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) has just signed a Memorandum of Understanding and Cooperation Agreement with the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Response Agency (CDERA) to work together to minimize the negative impact of disasters on the sustainable development of the Caribbean tourism industry.
CDERA is a regional inter-governmental agency established in 1991 by an agreement of the Conference of Heads of Government of CARICOM (the Caribbean Regional Community). CTO and CDERA will work together to develop a disaster risk management strategy framework for the tourism sector as well as build the capacity of national tourism organizations to deal with disasters. CDERA will assist any participating CTO member state that requests such assistance and make an immediate and coordinated response to any disastrous event affecting that participating CTO member state.
The agreement was ratified and signed during the CTO Board of Directors Meeting at CTC-29 taking place Oct. 22-25, 2006 at the Westin and Sheraton Grand Bahama Island Our Lucaya Resort on Grand Bahama Island, in The Bahamas. CTC-29 provides the opportunity for delegates to participate in the evolution and development of the new "Caribbean" brand, and will also demonstrate how they can benefit from it in ways, which up until now never seemed possible. The conference was preceded by meetings of the ministers and commissioners of tourism, the Board of Directors and various CTO committees.
The theme for this year's conference is "Cooperation, Innovation, Rejuvenation: Creating a Brand New Caribbean." Conference details can be found on www.onecaribbean.org. CTC-29 sponsors and supporters include: American Express® Company, the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, British Virgin Islands, Condé Nast Bridal Group, Condé Nast Traveler Magazine, CTO Allied Members, the Island of Curacao, Gourmet Magazine, National Geographic Traveler Magazine, The New Yorker, Royal Caribbean International, Travel + Leisure, Turks and Caicos Islands, Visa International, and the Westin and Sheraton Grand Bahama Island Our Lucaya Resort.
SOURCE: The Caribbean Tourism Organization