News Americas, BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, Fri. Mar. 22, 2013: The countdown has begun to the Caribbean’s top Sustainable Tourism Conference, organized annually by the Caribbean Tourism Organization, (CTO).
Among the speakers this year will be the grandson of one of the lead developers of the world famous Punta Cana Resort and Club in the Dominican Republic. Jake Kheel, the environmental director at Punta Cana Resort, one of the most successful development companies in the Dominican Republic with a distinguished history in sustainable development, is set to will present a hopeful vision of what tourism should aspire to be, in a presentation on how businesses can enhance the sustainability of a destination.
STC-14 will be held at the Hyatt Regency in Port of Spain from April, 15 to 18 2013.
Kheel is slated to present specific examples of solutions that the company has developed in response to some of the tourism industry’s greatest social and environmental challenges. He stressed that his focus will be on what the sector should aspire to be, rather than on what it shouldn’t be.
Kheel is the grandson of the late Ted Kheel, a famous American attorney and labor mediator who played a key role in resolving thousands of labour disputes between managements and unions in the US from the mid-1950s to the 1980s.
He was one of the lead developers of the Puntacana Resort & Club, and together with Dominican entrepreneur Frank R. Rainieri, created the resort community that respects the natural habitat while providing visitors with a world-class vacation experience. Ted Kheel also founded Nurture Nature Foundation, (NNF), to help resolve the intensifying conflict between the indispensable goals of environmental protection and economic development.
“The two attractions that draw visitors to the Caribbean are our unique natural and human resources,” Kheel said of his presentation. “For Puntacana Resort & Club, sustainable development achieves a balance between economic growth and environmental protection, while promoting community inclusion and a celebration of local culture. We are pleased to participate in the Caribbean Conference on Sustainable Tourism Development to help uncover the solutions that lead to a more sustainable future.”
Kheel is also the executive director of the not-for-profit Puntacana Ecological Foundation, which has been implementing innovative solutions to numerous social and environmental issues in the Punta Cana region for over 15 years. These include the largest recycling operation in the Dominican Republic, conservation of endangered species, and coral reef restoration and marine management.
Puntacana Resort & Club has received numerous international awards, including the prestigious World Tourism and Travel Council “Tourism for Tomorrow” award for Destination Stewardship, the Conde Nast Traveler “World Saver’s Award” and the “Global Vision” award from Travel & Leisure magazine.
As a third-time STC host, Trinidad and Tobago is again eager to showcase its many wonders. The government has identified tourism as one of the key pillars to lead the diversification effort in its energy fuelled economy. The growth of the tourism sector there is being guided by the principles of sustainable tourism where there is a balance between the use of environmental resources and the cultural and socio-economic benefits derived by host communities.
For more information on STC-14, including how to register, visit www.caribbeanstc.com.
