Sports development into developing tourism products which will be rationalised as the experts in the field of tourism, culture, foreign affairs and sports meet in Bridgetown, Barbados from 14-15 December, 2009.

They will gather to explore and exchange ideas in a high profile at the Regional Consultation Sports Development Tourism Sector with emphasis on Valued Added Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Single Market and Economy (CSME). Consultations have been held with financial assistance from the Government of Spain.

Deputy Program Manager, Sports Development, Directorate of Human and Social Development, CARICOM Secretariat, Mr John Campbell stated that the consultations have been scheduled as the time has come to develop existing resources in the area for the growth of sports tourism.

He argues that hosting the Cricket World Cup in 2007 saw the construction of major infrastructure, certainly in the emergence of a new stadium and better, and other sports facilities throughout the area, which some fear will be a “white elephant.”

In addition to structural addition, Mr. Campbell said that the Cricket World Cup 2007 has been encouraging local tourism and hospitality capacity.

“Time is now appropriate for us to see how we can utilize existing resources for sports development into tourism product worthy of economic growth and development in CARICOM,” he said.

Consultations are planned with the recognition that tourism remained the largest employer of human resources in the community, responsible for approximately 31.1 percent of Gross Domestic Product and provides nearly three million jobs.

To the recognition that the industry also faces several challenges as a result of a global recession and the competitive market, there is recognition that the focus should be placed on improving and diversifying the tourism product, in order to maintain competitive advantage and create a breakthrough into an established market. Mr Campbell said he anticipated that the consultation will create a communication between the existing policies, objectives and actions, towards a positive outcome of competitive sports tourism product.

The collection will include representatives from the University of the West Indies, the Caribbean Development Bank, the Caribbean Tourism Organization, the Caribbean Association of National Olympic Committees, business organizations and CARICOM Secretariat.

They will try to, among other things, rationalizing the status and practice of sports tourism in the area, weight against best practices internationally. Consultation will also see the presentations and discussions on issues including the strengthening Sports Tourism; Marketing and Packaging Products Sports Tourism Region; the Significance and Impact of Sports Tourism National Economic and Critical Significance of Sports Tourism in the Competitiveness and Sustainability of SMEs in the Caribbean.

“We anticipate that the discussion will bring to the table all the essential elements needed to establish sound and practical strategies and options for strengthening and development of a vibrant Sport Tourism Products in the Region,” Mr Campbell said.