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(CASME Secretariat, Jamaica) The Second Regional Seminar on Tourism: SMEs and Tourism Development in the Caribbean Region was held in Montego Bay, Jamaica, October 29 and 30, 2012. The event was organized by the Permanent Secretariat of the Latin American and Caribbean Economic System (SELA), along with the Caribbean Association of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (CASME), the Small Business Association of Jamaica (SBAJ), and the Ministry of Tourism of Jamaica.
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CONTACT: [email protected] Website: www.ca-sme.net Page 1 of 2
NO: 010/2012 DATE: 21 November, 2012
Second Regional Seminar on Tourism: SMEs and Tourism Development in the
Caribbean Region held in Montego Bay, Jamaica
(CASME Secretariat, Jamaica) The Second Regional Seminar on Tourism: SMEs and Tourism Development in the Caribbean Region was held in Montego Bay, Jamaica, October 29 and 30, 2012. The event was organized by the Permanent Secretariat of the Latin American and Caribbean Economic System (SELA), along with the Caribbean Association of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (CASME), the Small Business Association of Jamaica (SBAJ), and the Ministry of Tourism of Jamaica. Seven SME-focused organizations delivered presentations on the tourism experiences from their respective countries. SME Organizations presenting were the Small Business Association of Jamaica (SBAJ), Barbados Small Business Association (BSBA), the Chamber of Commerce of Bahamas, the Ministry of Tourism of Belize, the Small Enterprising
Business Association of Trinidad and Tobago (SEBA), the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), and
the Caribbean Centre of Excellence for Youth Entrepreneurship. Throughout the sessions participants learned of the similarities and differences in the tourism product experienced within each country.
Other local organizations such as representatives from the Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF), and the Ministry of Industry Investment and Commerce (MIIC) focused on the assistance given or offered and the strides the government of Jamaica is making towards supporting the tourism SME sector.
NEWs LETTER Caribbean Association of Small and Medium Enterprises (CASME) Secretariat,
10 Waterloo Avenue, Kingston 10, Jamaica; Tel: (876) 754-7444 Fax: (876) 754-5513 E-mail: [email protected]
Dr. Meredith Derby, President SBAJ, presents
“Tourism in the 21st Century"
Participants ask questions during the Q&A section
CONTACT: [email protected] Website: www.ca-sme.net Page 2 of 2
Experiences were presented and participants freely asked questions of each presenter. Furthermore individuals from the SME tourism sector shared their successes and challenges during the open sections.
The themes discussed during the sessions from international, regional and local participants indicated that the development of SMEs in the tourism sector required the attention of several aspects related to productive coordination, quality assurance, and transfer of technologies, energy costs and access to technical information. In addition, work based on strategic medium and long-term plans and the support to innovation and training of staff were crucial for the consolidation and expansion of these types of productive units. Local SME participants stressed the need to introduce cheaper alternative energy sources, which will lead to longer survival of the companies in the sector. A section of the seminar briefly focused on youth entrepreneurship in tourism,
and the many opportunities which technology presented for youth businesses. From the discussions and the exchanges of views among participants, it was recommended that institutions in charge of SMEs, such as CASME, SBAJ and other social organizations, together with SELA should assist with the SME adoption of the related positive experiences in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) as well as prioritize the development of a programme of exchanges and technical assistance to raise the quality, competitiveness and development of SMEs in the region. The participants recognized the importance of SELA, along with other international and regional agencies, in providing training in productive chains, sources of financing and technological processes, such as the development of information and communication technologies and alternative energy sources. At the end, the participants expressed their gratitude to the Permanent Secretariat of SELA, CASME, SBAJ, and the Ministry of Tourism for the efforts made in organizing the seminar.
Arlene Mckensie, Dir. of Administration, Rastafari
Indigenous Village, shares their tourism experience.
Some of the local, regional, and international
participants of the 2nd Regional Tourism Seminar 2012
