World Bank2013-07-092013-07-092004-08https://hdl.handle.net/10986/14410The tourism sector in the Eastern Caribbean continues to face major challenges in the new millennium. These include 1) continued dependence on the health of the developed economies as the primary source of tourists (Europe and the USA); 2) the low value added to the islands' economies from cruise ships, a major sub-sector; and 3) growing competition from other Caribbean destinations with lower hotel and labor costs. As the region faces increased competition, the OECS sub-region will need to develop a more diversified tourism product to stay competitive. The study objective is to analyze and demonstrate the importance and implications of sound environmental management for the future of the Organization of East Caribbean States (OECS) tourism industry, which is a key sector in the sub-regional economy. The study will therefore 1) review recent trends and projections in the tourism sector in the OECS sub-region; 2) review the nature and status of the sub-region's natural resource endowment (natural assets) and its role in supporting tourism development in the sub-region; and 3) assess institutional capacity in the sub-region (at the regional and national level) to monitor, balance, and address existing and future growth of the tourism sector.en-USCC BY 3.0 IGOORGANIZATION OF EASTERN CARIBBEAN STATESDEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCESOCIOECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTREGIONAL INTEGRATIONHIV VIRUSESACQUIRED IMMUNE DEFICIENCY SYNDROMEPOVERTY REDUCTIONPARTNERSHIPSINCOME GENERATIONHUMAN CAPITALINSTITUTIONAL CAPACITYPRIVATE SECTOR PARTICIPATIONECONOMIC DIVERSIFICATIONINDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENTTOURISMNATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENTSOCIAL IMPACTSENVIRONMENTAL QUALITYENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTSENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTIONWorld Bank10.1596/14410