Basseterre, St. Kitts, April 28, 2016 (SKNIS): The Heart of St. Kitts Foundation recently launched its website to continue its efforts in giving citizens of St. Kitts and Nevis along with visitors the opportunity to invest in sustainability projects that preserve and benefit the environment, culture, heritage, and livelihoods of the island’s residents.
This initiative is a part of the St. Kitts Tourism Sector Strategy and Action Plan 2014-2019 which addresses sustainable tourism. Within it, it states that “The sustainability of the [tourism] sector can only be achieved through investment in the human resources of the country, stakeholder and community participation, environmental preservation and through the creation of wealth for the average citizen.”
In keeping with this and according to the Ministry of Tourism, the foundation was launched in January “to build awareness of sustainability priorities in St. Kitts and provide funding for local projects that make St. Kitts a better and more sustainable place to live in and experience. The Foundation will engage tourists, local tourism enterprises and international organizations, and source the resources needed to translate this awareness into action.”
The Ministry is encouraging businesses, residents, and visitors to visit www.heartofstkitts.org to learn more about the foundation and the various projects that are being implemented. The website also features a donation portal, where contribution to the Foundation can be made. One hundred percent of donations will directly support projects in St. Kitts.
The sustainability projects include conservation of marine and coastal habitats, improvement of waste management, preservation of local culture and heritage sites and support for new community-driven tourism products.