Disaster Risk Management Strategy and Plan of Action - Caribbean ...

Regional Disaster Risk Management Strategy for the Tourism Sector in the Caribbean – Final
Foreword
The Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) with the support of the Inter-
American Development Bank (IDB) and in collaboration with the Caribbean Tourism Organization
(CTO); CARICOM Regional Organization for Standards and Quality (CROSQ); and the University of the
West Indies (UWI) is implementing The Regional DRM for Sustainable Tourism in the Caribbean Project
over the period January 2007 to June 2010. The project is a forty-two (42) month initiative designed to
contribute to the reduction of the vulnerability of the Tourism sector in the Caribbean to natural hazards
through the development of a Regional Public Good (RPG) which is the Regional Disaster Risk
Management (DRM) Framework for Tourism in the Caribbean. The initiative also encompasses the
development of a Strategy and Plan of Action for Standards for Conducting Hazard Mapping,
Vulnerability Assessment and Economic Valuation for Risk Assessment for the Tourism Sector in the
Caribbean, as well as the institutional strengthening of the CTO, CDEMA, and their stakeholders in DRM
for sustainable Tourism.
Under the DRM Framework, a Regional DRM Strategy and Plan of Action for the Tourism Sector was
developed through the collective action of regional as well as national stakeholders in both the Tourism
and disaster management sectors. Specifically, the Strategy addresses the elements of: mitigation,
preparedness, response and recovery which include rehabilitation, and reconstruction. The Strategy and
Plan of Action also supports the provisions of the Comprehensive Disaster Management (CDM)
Framework as well as the Caribbean Regional Sustainable Tourism Policy which has been prepared by the
CTO.
This document, Part I: The Disaster Risk Management Strategy for the Tourism Sector, developed by the
team of Caribbean and Canadian consultants from le Groupe-conseil baastel, is aimed at regional
stakeholders as well as key national stakeholders including Ministries of Tourism, Tourism Boards, and
Ministries of Finance and planning agencies. The content of the Strategy is based on the results of the
Regional Workshop in Trinidad & Tobago held on May 5 th and 6 th , 2009. It is also based on the feedback
and advice received from Technical Advisory Committee at the meeting held following the Regional
Workshop.
The Regional Workshop also provided key contributions to the development of the Plan of Action which
is submitted separately as Part II. While the Regional DRM Strategy and Plan of Action for the Tourism
Sector in the Caribbean has a regional focus, it is important to note that another key deliverable in this
mandate is the “Guidance Tool” for the adoption and adaptation of the DRM Strategy at the national level,
which has been submitted separately.
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