Caribbean Marine Association Close To Launch

Created by doina. Last modified on 2005-03-10 12:13:24
Countries: Antigua & Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, British Virgin Islands, Curacao, Dominica, Grenada, Jamaica, St Lucia, St Vincent & the Grenadines, Trinidad & Tobago

Many Islands, One Sea – the idea of marketing the Caribbean region as a single destination for Yachting, is a vision dear to the hearts of many. This vision is one step closer, following a 3-day workshop for officials of marine trades associations and public sector officials from 12 Caribbean nations held in Trinidad from Feb 22-24.

The initiative came from the Yacht Services Association of Trinidad & Tobago (YSATT). The Antigua Marine Trades Association (AMTA), the Marine and Yachting Association of Grenada (MAYAG), and the Marine Industries Association of St. Lucia (MIASL) partnered YSATT, and with assistance from the Trinidad based Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), obtained a grant of 47,176 euros from EU funding agency PROINVEST in mid-2004 to finance the setup of the CMA. Other national marine trades associations and public sector partners from across the region were then invited to participate.

The Caribbean Marine Association will place the Yachting Sector in the region on the same footing as the Caribbean Hotel Association, especially in forums such as the Caribbean Tourism Organisation (CTO), thereby giving Yachting a seat at the highest levels of decision-making bodies in the Tourism Sector for the first time.

The workshop hammered out a work programme, but referred the finalization of the constitution to a steering committee which will report within 90 days, so that the formal launching of the Association can be undertaken. The committee will also examine the ramifications of the devastation caused by Hurricane Ivan on Marine Insurance rates in the Region. The twenty-three participants came from Antigua, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, British Virgin Islands, Curacao, Dominica, Grenada, Jamaica, St. Lucia, St. Vincent & The Grenadines, Trinidad & Tobago. In addition to the National Marine Trade Associations, representatives came from the CTO, the OECS, Ministries of Tourism, and National Development Corporations.

Yacht Services Association of Trinidad and Tobago

PO Box 2852 TTPost, Chaguaramas, Trinidad

Tel: (868) 634 4938, Fax: (868) 634 2160