CATEGORY:TOURISM
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Tourism’s Achievements 2006

Accommodation Plan 2006
• Reopening of major hotels such as Spice Island Beach Resort and the Coyaba Beach Resort
• Increase in available room stock to about 85% of pre-hurricane Ivan level
• Implementation of home-stay programme, coordinated by the Grenada Board of Tourism, which is expected to add another 1000 rooms to the accommodation sector.

Training
• Training of hospitality arts students of NEWLO and TAMCC aboard the Princess cruise lines, while the ships were in Port St. George,
• Start of training of ten (10) persons in one and two year course at the Antigua and Barbuda Hospitality Institute, further to the Memorandum of Understanding signed between Grenada and Antigua.
• Launch of the UNESCO Poverty Alleviation through Tourism and Heritage (PATH) project, involving twenty-five persons between the ages of fifteen to twenty-five years in St. David's.

Employment
• Facilitated the recruitment of thirty-one persons for employment aboard the Norwegian Cruise Lines.

Standards
• Collaborated with the Grenada Bureau of Standards and the Grenada Board of Tourism in developing a draft code of practice for the management of attractions. This draft is expected to be finalized very soon, and it is the intention of the Ministry to make the standards compulsory.

New Products
• Several attractions were initiated, including redevelopment of Carib’s Leap by the Grenada board of Tourism. Several private initiatives were undertaken including Helvellyn ceramics in St. Patrick's, Mollinere Marine Park, among others.
• Signing of agreement for marina and hotel development (Port St. Louis)

Public Attractions
• Transfer of the management of publicly owned attractions back to the Ministry. New management structures put in place to include recruitment of new staff and the acquisition of much needed equipment.
• Repair and upgrading of several facilities including the Pedestrian Plaza on the Carenage and toilet facilities at Bathway.
• Started the construction of lifeguard lookout towers on selected beaches, first one being done on Grand Anse beach.
• Started the construction of new vendors' booths at Concord waterfalls.
• Signed contract with NAWASA for the design and construction of a new water system for the Grand Etang interpretation center.
• Implemented a major clean up of the surroundings of Fort George.
• Continued the beautification of our landscape through the works of the National Beautification Committee, as exemplified in the new look botanical gardens.
• Collaborated with the private sector regarding the placement of park benches and picnic tables at public attraction sites.


Tourism Major Focus - 2007
• Marketing
• Airlift
• Continued upgrading of tourism infrastructure
• Product development to include increased emphasis and support for community tourism initiatives.
• Rehabilitation of publicly owned sties and attractions.
• Continuation of the road signage project
• Improved safety and security at public beaches through the expansion of the lifeguard programme,
• Creating greater awareness of the benefits of tourism
• Short and long term training so as to adequately prepare our people to take advantage of the new
tourism projects to come on stream in 2007.