The Caribbean has much to gain by developing its sport tourism potential, Andrew Preece director of the consultancy firm, PMP and expert in this field has said. “There are considerable economic, sport and community benefits to be gained through developing the niche market that is sport tourism,” he said.

Preece explained that sport tourism can take several forms, but primarily involves hosting sports events - like the International Cricket Council Cricket World Cup (ICC-CWC) which is scheduled to begin in the Caribbean next month – which bring both competitors and spectators who spend money in the community generally, and in tourism amenities such as hotels and restaurants in particular.

Preece, who has been part of the PMP team working on legacy planning for the Barbados leg of the Cricket World Cup, will be a panelist at the 9th Annual Caribbean Conference on Sustainable Tourism Development, otherwise called the Sustainable Tourism Conference (STC-9), in the Cayman Islands in May 2007. The general session, “Securing Environmental and Human Capital” takes place on Wednesday, May 23, 2007. Preece’s presentation will be on community sport tourism.

“Community sport tourism can lead to improved sport development, enhanced community pride, and more active populations,” Preece said.

Preece’s presentation will examine the approach to effective planning for community sport tourism in order to maximise the benefits, and will include as a case study, the four step “Community Sport Tourism Planning Programme” developed by 2010 Legacies Now and Tourism British Columbia.

Themed Health and Wellness: Communities, Environments & Economies, STC-9 will be held May 21-24, 2007, in Grand Cayman, the Cayman Islands.

General sessions include: Health and Wellness Tourism: Opportunities and Challenges; Securing Environmental and Human Capital; Defining the Way Forward and Stakeholders Speak Out featuring discussions about “Developing Valuable Tourism Resources Within Our Communities: the Grand Cayman Go East Initiative,” “Preserving Our Culture: Preserving a Caymanian Identity,” “Raising the Bar: Customer Service Standards for the Tourism Sector,” and “The Role of the National Trust in Tourism Development.”

Workshops will focus on “Integrated Coastal Zone Management” and “Developing a Spa Business.” There will also be a special presentation by the Puerto Rico Tourism Company which will provide an update on developments there since Puerto Rico hosted the 8th Annual Sustainable Tourism Conference (STC-8) in April 2006.

The annual Caribbean Conference on Sustainable Tourism Development is part of the information dissemination and regional awareness component of CTO’s Strategy for Sustainable Tourism. It looks at how member states can design and implement sustainable tourism policies and programs, offering a regional forum for information exchange on the successes and pitfalls of national, regional and international initiatives.

STC-9 is organized by CTO in collaboration with the Cayman Islands Department of Tourism, and in consultation with the Caribbean Hotel Association (CHA). It is co-financed by the European Union within the framework of the Caribbean Regional Sustainable Tourism Development programme (CRSTDP).