Canadian Group Explores International Sustainable EduTourism Issues

Aug. 4, 2010 - PRLog -- Canadian Group Explores International Sustainable EduTourism Issues
(Halifax, NS Canada, August 3,2010) Havana Cuba has been selected as the destination for the  Annual International Conference on Sustainable EduTourism by the Conference organizers at CETA.

CETA is the Canadian EduTourism Association Cooperative, a not for profit Canadian group with a mandate of raising the awareness of the social and economic impact of sustainable tourism though education, culture and the environment.

Ms. Lana Wood-MacDonald, President and Chair of CETA, announced their partnership with the Cuban Ministry of Tourism MINTUR and the Sol Melia to host the International Conference which is to be held in Havana Cuba on November 8 & 9, 2010.  Leading international experts from the education, tourism and hospitality industries will provide insight, stimulate discussions and facilitate capacity building sessions to identify and move forward with creating sustainable tourism initiatives.

Ms. Wood-MacDonald explains that “Cuba has focused heavily on tourism, culture and education over the past few decades, working hard to create a sustainable EduTourism destination and it was for this reason that it was chosen as the location for this important International event.”

“With the ever-changing economy, it is more important than ever to develop a Tourism market that does not simply rely on ‘vacation’ travel. It has become necessary to combine work and vacation together for financial and time constraints.  Additionally, the large baby boomer market will be less content with package vacations and will be motivated by travel that combines cultural and educational aspects.”

Simon Hudson agrees.  He is Chair of the Tourism and Economic Development Department at the University of South Carolina. Mr Hudson indicates that “according to many marketing experts, marketing in the 21st century is all about delivering the customer experience. Over the next 10 years people will increasingly want to be differentiated by what they do, not what they buy, and this will drive a desire for experience-driven travel. Future generations of consumers will have more discretionary income, less time and more choices, and will display entirely new spending patterns, depending on age, geography and wealth. Customers will be looking for an experience, and not just a product. A passion for 'doing' rather than 'having' will likely double the number of consumers flying by 2020”.

Contact:
Janice MacInnis
CETA, Director, Communications
Halifax, Nova Scotia Canada
Janice@edutourismconference.org
902.497.4638

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CETA, the Canadian EduTourism Associates Cooperative Limited, is a not for profit organisation with the mandate of raising the International awareness of the social and economic importance of Sustainable EduTourism.

This conference is being spearheaded by CETA, the Canadian EduTourism Associates Cooperative Limited and supported by the Cuban Ministry of Tourism and the Canadian Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada, through the Embassy in Havana.

The mandate of this organization is to raise the awareness of the importance of Sustainable Tourism through the incorporation of education and culture with tourism. This has the potential of creating a socially and economically sustainable tourism product that benefits the region and its' visitors.