As one of the fastest growing sectors in the world, tourism is a key economic factor for many Small Island Developing States (SIDS). However, the size and geographic location of SIDS results in many vulnerabilities that limit their competitiveness in the industry. Additionally, unplanned tourism growth can present many risks for their ecosystems and inhabitants.

Because of this, it is critical to ensure that tourism development in SIDS occurs in a sustainable manner that accounts for the needs of the local economy, environment, and host communities. Accomplishing this requires strategic planning, collaboration across stakeholder groups, and well-formulated policies and standards. Policy-makers and destination managers are some of the key groups who play a pivotal role in leading and fostering the sustainable development of the tourism in SIDS.

To address this need and guide small island destinations towards more a sustainable future, we developed a sustainable tourism course specifically geared towards policy-makers and destination managers in SIDS. This course is being offered as an open online course in partnership with the Hamburg University of Applied Sciences and the Hamburg Open Online University (HOOU). The course is currently underway with nearly 500 students enrolled and a group of expert tutors guiding learners along the way.

The course aims to address the shared challenges and promote the sustainable development of tourism in SIDS by:

• Enhancing participant understanding of sustainable tourism development and management
• Inspiring learners to think carefully and critically about current SIDS’ tourism issues and related tourism policies
• Enabling participants to assess the opportunities that sustainable tourism strategies offer for SIDS in particular
• Increasing participant understanding of how policy-making can improve tourism in small island states

By bringing together a diverse group of learners and incorporating concrete examples from around the world, the course seeks to form a global SIDS learning community and foster cross-destination collaboration around sustainable tourism in small island states.

Tourism destinations such as the Caribbean island of St. Kitts are only as strong as the people and businesses who make them up. From tour guides to hotel housekeeping staff, the local workforce are the building blocks of St. Kitts’ bustling tourism industry.  

A competent workforce is essential to an excellent visitor experience. From the moment a visitor steps foot on the island, the tourism and hospitality workforce shapes their experience. Was the immigration officer welcoming? Did the front desk agent provide helpful information about the local culture? Was their hotel room clean? Each of these micro-moments that take place throughout a trip affects a visitor’s overall perception of the destination. One interaction can make or break whether the traveler returns home raving about their trip or vowing to never come back.

Thus, in order to strengthen a destination and ensure its long-term sustainability, it is important to invest in the people who propel the industry forward. One of the best ways to accomplish this is to make sure that those in leadership roles are adequately prepared to support their staff’s professional development.

As part of our ongoing partnership with the St. Kitts Ministry of Tourism we hosted a Train the Trainer Workshop with a focus on sustainable tourism in the Kittitian context. This workshop was geared toward managers in tourism businesses, particularly those with regular training and human resource responsibilities.

On a sunny St. Kitts day in late October, 10 enthusiastic and ambitious participants joined us for the two-day workshop. Most participants held supervisory roles and came from various tourism-related organizations including accommodations, attractions, and restaurants.

To kick off the training, participants were asked a simple question: “What one word represents what being a trainer means to you?” Uplifting words such as “inspire” “change” “leader” “educator” and “guide” were just some of the words that came to mind.

Over the course of the workshop, our team supported participants in becoming the trainers that they aspired to be. The workshop focused on developing essential skills that will help participants be more effective communicators, leaders, and mentors – both on the job and in their personal lives. Participants learned about topics such as engaging different learners, creating supportive environments, and handling challenging situations. In addition, a particular emphasis was placed on how trainers and managers play a key role in bolstering business sustainability, both through staff development and other operational improvements.  

Exercises and activities were woven throughout the training, encouraging interactivity and allowing participants to apply their learnings. Participants were incredibly engaged, eager to learn, and supportive of one another.  At the end of the workshop, each participant developed a training plan related to their individual training responsibilities – one participant created a plan for a culinary training, while another focused on guest services.

Given their positions and roles in the tourism industry, the participants are well-positioned to apply what they learned in their day-to-day lives. We hope that this training will generate a ripple effect of impact and contribute to a thriving future for St. Kitts.

Employing 1 in 10 people globally, tourism has the potential to benefit a large number of people. By creating jobs, driving infrastructure improvements, and promoting inclusive growth, tourism is a powerful tool to fight poverty and foster community development.

With all these benefits, one might assume that local residents would be fully supportive of tourism in their backyards. The problem is that sometimes tourism development has the opposite effect and diminishes local quality of life. Without proper planning, tourism growth can bring about new challenges for locals, such as unaffordable housing prices, dwindling resources, and a loss of cultural authenticity. Over the last year, there’s been increasing global discussion around the issue of “overtourism” and its consequences in more popular destinations, where some communities are literally telling tourists to go home.

How then does a destination prevent this situation from happening before it’s too late? It all comes down to finding the balance between tourism growth and local needs.

To ensure that tourism enriches local communities, destination managers must pay attention to resident concerns and engage them in development plans. Happy residents play a major part in creating an enjoyable visitor experience and successful tourism industry. When residents win, everyone wins.

The Caribbean island of St. Kitts is a destination that is well aware of the importance of sustainable, community-driven tourism. The warm and welcoming Kittitian people are undeniably the heart and soul of the island. The St. Kitts Ministry of Tourism is working to make sure that they are at the heart of tourism as well, by giving them a voice in development.

To gauge local attitudes toward tourism, Sustainable Travel International supported the Ministry in administering a resident survey in July 2017. This was the first survey of this kind in St. Kitts. Over 320 Kittitians, representing all parishes and demographics completed the survey.  The results examine how well tourism in St. Kitts is meeting local needs, creating opportunities for residents, and impacting their quality of life.

Understanding resident concerns is the starting point. The next step is taking action to actually address any existing or potential issues. The Ministry is using the survey findings to guide policy and program interventions, making it a valuable tool for community development.

Of course, as tourism grows and the destination changes, residents’ feelings and priorities will change as well. Engaging residents should be an ongoing process. We will continue to support the Ministry to create additional avenues for residents to share their opinions and be involved in decision-making, as well as implement future surveys to monitor changes over time.To learn more about the other ways that St. Kitts is encouraging sustainable development and community-based tourism, click here.