BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC) – The Barbados-based Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) has launched a regional tourism education and awareness campaign (RTEAC) aimed at fostering a discussion on climate resilience and sustainability on both the regional and international stage.

The CTO said that the initiative is dedicated to the memory of its former employee, Bonita Morgan, “a beloved regional champion of tourism education and human resource development” who died last month.

“The Caribbean tourism product is to a large extent based on the natural environment, and as such CTO and our member countries are committed to safeguarding these resources on which our very lives and livelihoods depend,” said Hugh Riley, CTO Secretary General.

“Having recently celebrated Earth Day, we are reminded to respect and protect the fragile planetary resources that are critical to maintaining the integrity and economic stability of our countries. Through the Education and Awareness campaign, it is our intention to inspire and empower the regional tourism stakeholders to concerted action,” he added.

CTO said that the campaign will run for seven months through November 2018 as part of a series of activities delivered in support of the Climate Smart and Sustainable Caribbean Tourism Industry (CSSCTI) Project with funding from the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) via the African Caribbean Pacific, European Union, Caribbean Development Bank Natural Disaster Risk Management (ACP-EU-CDB NDRM) in CARIFORUM Countries Programme.

It said the project will be delivered via CTO’s Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn social media pages, as well as through the Barbados-based CaribVision Television and the www.ourtourism.onecaribbean.org campaign hub.

Tourism stakeholders, media and friends of the region are encouraged to share the campaign via the hashtag #TEAC2018 and CTO said that photo submissions and short videos of Caribbean tourists and tourism ambassadors for inclusion in the campaign are also welcome.

“Our efforts will continue to focus on advocacy to mitigate negative impacts on our communities and the environment, including to reduce the overall environmental footprint,” Riley said, adding “in this regard, we add our voice to the global appeal as we join the international community in supporting the campaign to End Plastic Pollution!”

CTO said the RTEAC will be led by its Sustainable Tourism Division with support from The Youth Project and the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC).

Other campaign partners include CTO member countries, digital media company Travelspective, the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association and the regional airlines, LIAT and Caribbean Airlines.