CARICOM leaders discuss tourism sector

CARICOM leaders today began their first full day of deliberations focusing on the tourism sector that has been a key contributor to their economies.

Its believed that recent global developments, such as the rising cost of fuel and changes in schedules by US-based airlines to the region could undermine the viability of the industry, which provides thousands of jobs for Caribbean nationals.

St. Lucia\'s Tourism Minister and chairman of the Caribbean Tourism Organisation, Allan Chastanet and his Antigua and Barbuda counterpart Harold Lovell are to make presentations on efforts to make the sector more competitive in light of the new threats.

Among the threats is a 7 percent cut-back in airline services from the United States, which is considered the region\'s main tourist market.