As a small island, St. Kitts stands on the front lines of global climate change. In recent years, the island has suffered from severe storms, causing one of its most popular beaches to become rocky and the sand to be washed away. Since then, the St. Kitts Ministry of Tourism has worked to protect the beach and reinvigorate the island, prioritizing sustainability and increased resilience to climate change. 

In this film, we see various projects being undertaken across the island to re-energize this fun-filled island while supporting the development of community-based tourism and protecting St. Kitts’ natural assets for generations to come. 

A popular destination drawing travelers from all around the world, the island of Barbados attracted 713,000 overnight visitors just prior to the pandemic. Its government recognizes that as a developing state it must do all it can to protect its inhabitants, natural resources, and endangered species against the climate crisis. We see in this film Barbados’s infectious commitment to sustainability! Barbadians – both citizens, residents, and newcomers who call it home – are keen to contribute positively, while mindfully enjoying what the island has to offer.

Since St. Kitts moved away from sugar production in the mid-2000’s, tourism became the top economic driver in the destination. As a small island developing state, St. Kitts is highly susceptible to both the positive and negative impacts of tourism. On the one hand, tourism brings a wealth of economic benefits to the island’s residents and communities. However, there is also a perpetual risk that careless tourism could damage the island’s fragile ecosystems and overburden local resources and infrastructure.

Recognizing that tourism presents both an opportunity and a threat to their environments and communities, St. Kitts placed sustainability at the core of their tourism strategy. This film explores how Sustainable Travel International has partnered with the St. Kitts Ministry of Tourism to raise local awareness around the importance of destination stewardship and engage stakeholders in sustainable practices.

Click here to learn more about Sustainable Travel International’s work in St. Kitts and the initiatives mentioned.