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For nearly two decades the Caribbean Alliance for
Sustainable Tourism (CAST), founded by the Caribbean Hotel &
Tourism Association (CHTA) has been steering private-sector hotel and
tourism enterprises toward greater sustainability through awareness,
guidance, and education.
Karoline Troubetzkoy, president-elect for CHTA and chair of CAST
since November 2014, talks about
the importance of green operating
practices, and what the alliance is
doing to further them.
Commitment to
sustainability is part of
CHTA mission
statement. Why?
If you look back in CHTA’s history,
you will see that CAST was already
established in 1997 to promote
responsible environmental and
social management of natural and
heritage resources respectively,
within the Caribbean hotel and
tourism sector.
This was great visionary think-
ing in 1997, perhaps slightly ahead of its time when the majority of our
membership did not yet fully recognize and appreciate the importance
of sustainable operations.
This of course has changed dramatically over the past few years
and our audience is now fully engaged.
Therefore, the mission of CAST — to promote sustainable prac-
tices among our members — is now at the forefront of CHTA’s efforts.
What do you think motivates
the islands most when it comes to conducting
business in a sustainable way?
It has been clearly established that for the Caribbean region to remain
one of the top tourism regions of the world, a great effort has to be
undertaken to create an authentic and unique experience at both the
destination and the individual tourism enterprise level. An experience
that goes beyond the traditional sun, sand, and sea, and that builds on
the strength of our cultural heritage and our people.
Therefore, we here at CHTA are not just looking at the “green”
aspect. We are addressing the whole spectrum of sustainability, start-
ing with the environmental sensitivity, but also the economic health,
social equity, and cultural heritage of our destinations.
What are the benefits to the hospitality industry
in the Caribbean for acting green?
It actually is good business practice that goes far beyond the philo-
sophical aspect. Not only will showcasing commitment to sustainable
practices help attract visitors, it will in the end also lead to a lesser cost
of operations.
For example, Anse Chastanet in St. Lucia switched to power-saving
LED lights, which resulted in an 87-percent reduction of the property’s
lighting load. The change significantly reduced the resort’s dependence
on expensive fossil fuels. The investment of approximately US$21,000
achieved simple payback over five months.
Because islands are geographically isolated,
bringing in goods and resources adds
environmental costs and complications.
How are Caribbean hospitality enterprises
addressing this challenge?
On many islands, cooperation with other economic sectors, such as
agriculture and manufacturing, has intensified. Farmers are being edu-
cated to the needs of the tourism industry and the requirement for a
more varied product offering. Some hotel associations — for example,
the St. Lucia association — showcase and promote on their websites
what can be bought locally and arrange regular trade shows to encour-
age the purchase of local product.
What are some initiatives from island tourism
organizations that you believe set a positive
model for others to follow?
I was very impressed by the recent announcement from the Cayman
Islands that they will undergo a destination sustainability assessment
by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC). They will be the
15th country in the world to participate in the GSTC assessment and
the third in the Caribbean.
CHENACT is a very good regional initiative: The partnership of
regional tourism and other associations helps hotels assess their needs
and invest in energy-efficiency measures. This is accomplished
through energy audits, which can lead to projects supported through
innovative financial mechanisms. Since 2010, the CHENACT program
has supported energy audits in 62 hotels.
What is CHTA doing to encourage, facilitate, and
increase sustainability efforts in the Caribbean?
We see our role as promoting sustainable practices, sharing best prac-
tices that we have seen implemented by members, and giving practical
advice on how to go forward. Most importantly, we want to proactively
engage with our members and interact with them.
We have, for example, launched a series of webinars since the
beginning of the year as one new approach in reaching our membership.
The goal of CAST training programs is to provide trusted training in
the field of sustainability; providing tourism enterprises and their
clientele the confidence in knowing that measuring, tracking, and
monitoring impacts are in place.
See page 2 for currency conversions.
RESORTDEVELOPER.COM
vacation industry review
OCTOBER – DECEMBER 2015
10
INSIGHT
How the Caribbean Alliance for Sustainable Tourism
Supports Island Eco-Practices
Caribbean Green
Karoline Troubetzkoy