Development of a National Tourism Management Plan (2017-2021) for the Cayman Islands

• Client:Cayman Islands Department of Tourism (CIDOT)
• Partners:The George Washington University
• Project Duration:October 2016 – December 2018

Project Description 

Whether arriving by air or disembarking by sea, a trip to The Cayman Islands is bound to be unforgettable. Through the natural, built and intangible heritage of the islands, visitors are welcomed to experience the most captivating diving the world’s oceans have to offer, unique local traditions, cuisines, and stunning historic sites. Tourism in the Cayman Islands has grown substantially in recent years, mainly in the cruise sector with 85% of total visitors arriving by sea. A massive influx of visitors not only brings economic opportunity, but also precautionary challenges. In the Cayman Islands, environmental, cultural, economic and livelihood concerns have begun to arise. Environmentalists have become concerned about protecting marine and terrestrial environments against potential damage. Many of the renowned attractions are facing deterioration or damage due to over-visitation, and the charming character of the Cayman Islands is at risk of becoming lost amongst the demands of mass tourism.

To address these challenges and ensure tourism growth is managed sustainably, the Cayman Islands Department of Tourism has partnered with Solimar International to develop a National Tourism Management Plan to cover 2017 – 2021. Through this collaborative process, stakeholders will establish a shared strategic direction and set limits of acceptable change for decisions impacting the future of the Cayman Islands as a tourism destination.\

Major Activities

• Conduct independent research of all available information, strategies, documents and policies about tourism in the Cayman Islands
• Travel to the Cayman Islands to conduct a thorough tourism assessment and meet with public and private sector representatives, conservation groups and community members to understand their interests, experience, capacity, and concerns with tourism
• Hold a visioning workshop with key tourism stakeholders and industry leaders to define the desired future of tourism in The Cayman Islands and provide a strategic plan on how to achieve these goals

Anticipated Results

• Understanding of the current status of the Cayman Islands’ tourism industry including tourism trends, accommodation capacity, tourism-related infrastructure and tourism product offerings
• A Visitor Management Strategy that addresses carrying capacity issues at identified priority sites and outlines policies to monitor, measure and mitigate negative impacts from tourism within destination sites and attractions
• A National Tourism Management Plan to cover 2017-2021 that will define and provide recommendations for bridging gaps between the challenges, objectives and desired results for future tourism development and growth within the Cayman Islands

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