CTO Signs Deal to Cut Disaster Impact
OCTOBER 24, 2006. The CTO has signed a MOU 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.
"We look forward to the guidance and assistance that this highly professional organization can provide to our tourism officials across the region," said Vincent Vanderpool-Wallace, secretary general for CTO. "With CDERA working along with CTO and our member nations, we will be more prepared to mitigate any disaster that comes our way," he added.
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.
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