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Discover Africa's Caribbean Connection

by Muguette Goufrani

I've traveled to the sunny Caribbean on several occasions, most recently via American Airlines with a team representing National Geographic and other US and Canadian media. A few years before that, I was completely fascinated by the culture and climate of Martinique and Guadeloupe, where I spent more than a month. Having lived and worked in West Africa as a Travel Agent, I have always been impressed by the cultural similarities between the peoples of those islands and several West African countries, such as Benin, Senegal and Cote d'Ivoire. The historic ties between the Caribbean and Africa are well known, and growing stronger thanks to improved travel links and widening opportunities. As an active member of the Francophone Community, I had an unforegettable vacation in Martinique and Guadeloupe (details on that later).

Photo (l to r): Brian Major, freelance on assignment for American Legacy magazine; the late Hon. David H. Allen MP, JP, Minister of Tourism for Bermuda; and Mira Berman, Executive Director for the African Travel Association.

BERMUDA UNVEILSAFRICAN DIASPORA HERITAGE TRAIL

~ Conserving the Essence of African Culture and History ~

HAMILTON, BERMUDA, March 25, 2002. Captured and dispersed by the advent of transatlantic slavery, Africans managed to retain their traditions and reform their identities in a new world. In celebration of the role played in shaping Bermuda's history, the Ministry of Tourism has launched The African Diaspora Heritage Trail. Free brochures are available for this self-guided tour highlighting sites of historical and cultural significance. Whether it's the sound of drumming and high-pitched whistles that herald the Gombeys, or the stone blocks that constructed the first organized church for Free Blacks and slaves, these sites provide valuable insight into our history.

Caribbean Tourist Organization
For those reasons, among others, we are proud to introduce this special page on the Caribbean as a tourism destination. We will also include news releases and background on the Caribbean Tourism Organization, who were a guest at one of the first Trade shows organized by our editor in Vancouver, Canada (1996). Click for full screen version of Caribbean Islands map.

 For more information, contact CTO at the following locations.

CTO Head Office-Barbados
Sir Frank Walcott Bldg., Culloden Farm Complex, Culloden Road, St. Michael, Barbados, W.I. Tel. 246-427-5242 Fax 246-429-3065
web site- http://www.caribtourism.com

USA- New York City
80 Broad Street, 32nd Floor, New York, N.Y.10004 Tel. 212-635-9530 Fax 212-635-9511 email: get2cto@dorsai.org

Canada- Toronto
Taurus House, 512 Duplex Avenue, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M4R 2E3 Tel. 416-485-7827 Fax 416-485-8256

UK- London
42 Westminster Palace Gardens, Artillery Row, London SWIP 1RR, England Tel. 0171 222 4335 Fax 0171 222 4325

CTO Background
The Caribbean Tourism Organization was established in 1989. Its Research and Development Centre (founded 1974) is an international development agency functioning under a Headquarters Agreement with the Government of Barbados, where its headquarters are located.

Objectives:
Increase the value and volume of tourism flows to member states.

Create in the marketplace a greater awareness and understanding of Caribbean tourism.

Create a greater public awareness and understanding of tourism by host countries.

Develop the highest level of skills and professionalism in the personnel serving the Caribbean in tourism and tourism related areas.

Design and develop a comprehensive tourism information system.

Ensure a harmonious interaction between tourism and the social and natural environment.

Give special support to those countries not able to represent themselves.

Foster close links with regional institutions and international donor agencies.

Develop a capacity to assist members in defining and responding to any tourism related need.

Service, retain and expand the membership of CTO.

Develop the strongest possible linkage between the tourism sector and other economic sectors, for example, agriculture, manufacturing and services of all kinds. More than just pink-sand beaches and turquoise waters, Bermuda is a mecca for travelers seeking enriching travel experiences. The African Diaspora Heritage Trail guides vacationers through historic sites linked with the development and progress of people of African descent in Bermuda. A special commemorative plaque to preserve the historical significance of the location is marking each site, and a special brochure has been produced to guide visitors.

Thirteen sites have been identified including the site of the slave ship Enterprise incident which like the similar, better-known Amistad affair, involved the rescuing of slaves seeking refuge and freedom; the historic Slave Graveyard at St. Peter's Church (circa 1612), both located in St. George's (UNESCO's newest World Heritage Site); the Crow Lane site of the execution of Sally Bassett, slave revolt leader; sites associated with Mary Prince, the Bermudian slave who wrote the first account of slavery actually authored by a slave, which played a key role in the struggle to abolish slavery; and Cobb's Hill Wesleyan Methodist Church, built by slaves by moonlight. For more information on the African Diaspora Heritage Trail, visit www.africandiasporaheritagetrail.com.