Honourable Dr. Kishore Shallow, Minister of Tourism, Civil Aviation, and Sustainable Development, reaffirmed the nation’s commitment to the regional agenda following his attendance at the 9th OECS Council of Ministers: Tourism, which was convened on February 11th, 2026, in Saint Kitts and Nevis.
Minister Shallow stated that: “We remain fully committed to the regional agenda and warmly welcome discussions that align our efforts and optimise shared resources. Together, these steps will strengthen the OECS as a model for sustainable destination development, while safeguarding the very assets that underpin our competitiveness.” The Minister added that the Ministry of Tourism, Civil Aviation, and Sustainable Development remains dedicated to advancing policies and programmes that safeguard the environment, strengthen community linkages, and ensure that tourism continues to drive inclusive economic growth for the people of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.
The meeting hosted in St. Kitts was preceded by the OECS Regional Tourism Steering Committee Consultation convened in Grenada on January 29th and 30th, 2026. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines was represented by the Director of Tourism; Mrs. Faylene King. The consultation advanced the OECS Sustainable Tourism Action Plan (STAP), which operationalises the OECS Sustainable Tourism Policy 2025-2035 adopted by Ministers of Tourism at their meeting held in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines in March 2025.
The OECS Sustainable Tourism Action Plan provides member countries with a unified roadmap to harmonise standards, pool expertise, and speak with one voice internationally and ultimately position the Eastern Caribbean as a global leader in sustainable tourism.
The OECS Regional Tourism Steering Committee worked collaboratively to prioritise actions across eight thematic areas aligned to the Policy and in the draft STAP. These include:
- Inclusive Growth: Developing OECS community-based tourism toolkits and youth entrepreneurship programmes.
- Climate Resilience: Establishing a common regional crisis and risk management framework.
- Blue Tourism: Implementing beach use and coastal zone planning and coral reef restoration at scale.
- Product Development: Carrying capacity studies.
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines will actively work collaboratively on the implementation of the first phase of the OECS Sustainable Tourism Action Plan (2025–2027), including the establishment of the OECS Tourism Knowledge and Resource Centre and pilot projects in circular tourism, advancing the shared vision for sustainable tourism across the region.
SOURCE: Ministry of Tourism, Civil Aviation, and Sustainable Development
