RARE – GRENADA ECOTOURISM AND ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT ASSESSMENT

This analysis of the potential for new ecotourism enterprise opportunities in Grenada was generated from the joint efforts of TNC-EC and Rare staff during two work missions to and assessments in Grenada. Grenada continues to thrive as a tourism destination by selling itself as "the Caribbean as it originally was." Recent developments such as the new cruise shipping pier being built in St. George's and the major 18-hole golf and all-inclusive resort under construction in Sauteurs show that pressures for mainstream mass tourism are mounting. The current Rare and TNC-EC efforts have focused on working with Grenadian stakeholders to co-develop innovative ecotourism products that balance economic development, community improvement, and ecological conservation. Rare recommends training local persons from Grenada to form five community ecotourism entities that would be locally managed by 8 Ecotourism Promoters and staffed by 18 trained interpretive bilingual nature guides. The various ecotourism products/services and organizational entities will be developed concurrent with training programs. After the initial launch phase, Rare's Enterprise Development Program will provide one year of ongoing technical assistance for the start-ups, assisting them to promote business initiatives to national and international markets. In addition to skills and guide training, Rare also recommends two trails systems in Carriacou – creating an aquatic interpretive trail for snorkeling, and improving the existing Bel Air trail – as part of its suite of solutions. The final section of this technical report provides a succinct summary of the products and services to be developed, their associated geographical location in Grenada, and required local partners. Rare's Enterprises program supports participatory, community-based approaches to sustainable ecotourism planning and development. Rare's Enterprises interventions include nature guide training programs, training ecotourism promoters, and enterprise development that links with the local community. The program aims to develop replicable methods that enable local conservationists to address the root causes of biodiversity loss: economic necessity, public apathy, and population growth. The analysis of the potential for new ecotourism enterprise opportunities in Grenada has been generated from the joint efforts of TNC-EC and Rare staff during two work missions to and assessments in Grenada. The current Rare and TNC-EC efforts have focused on working with Grenadian stakeholders to co-develop innovative ecotourism products that balance economic development, community improvement, and ecological conservation. Rare recommends training local persons from Grenada to form five community ecotourism entities that would be locally managed by 8 Ecotourism Promoters and staffed by 18 trained interpretive bilingual nature guides. Rare's Enterprise Development Program will provide one year of ongoing technical assistance for the start-ups, assisting them to promote business initiatives to national and international markets. In addition to skills and guide training, Rare also recommends two trails systems in Carriacou – creating an aquatic interpretive trail for snorkeling, and improving the existing Bel Air trail – as part of its suite of solutions. The final section of this technical report provides a succinct summary of the products and services to be developed, their associated geographical location in Grenada, and required local partners.