CASTRIES, St. Lucia – “St. Lucia has been innovative in its quest to make tourism a wealth creation tool for its citizens so it is a great pleasure for us to select the island nation for the fifth anniversary of the Caribbean Media Exchange on Sustainable Tourism Meeting (CMEx) this Autumn, October 12-16, 2006,” declared the head of a non-profit development agency.
“St. Lucia has successfully used tourism to enhance its culture, and to create jobs while conserving its environmental heritage as it develops tourism, ” added Lelei LeLaulu, president of Counterpart International which organizes the CMEx sessions, drawing journalists, tourism industry executives and government officials to St. Lucia to discuss the importance of Caribbean culture, Caribbean cuisine, and Caribbean cricket to the region’s bread and butter tourism industry.
“Chic Communications Concepts” will dominate CMEx IX, a four-day event which will attract some of the best minds in the region and beyond in the lively interactive format that is a hallmark of the CMEx series. Delegates will discuss how best to communicate the benefits and pitfalls of tourism using both traditional and new media, and also examine the effects of the HIV/AIDS pandemic on the region and its tourism industry, and the threat posed by US passport regulations to the region and what governments and industry are doing about it.
Journalists can apply for a limited number of fellowships (which cover airfare, accommodation and registration) to attend the event by visiting www.caribbeanmediaexchange.com and then clicking on “Registration Forms”. The deadline for all applications is Wednesday, May 17, 2006.
CMEx is an interactive workshop that allows journalists from the Caribbean, North America and Europe to interact with representatives of the hospitality sector and government and discuss tourism policies aimed at improving the lives of Caribbean people.
