Executive Secretariat for Integral Development (SEDI)

Department of Economic Development 

Small Tourism Enterprises Network (STEN)

STEN

I. Background

The Small Tourism Enterprises Network (STEN) was designed as a unified network that integrates public, private and community sector strategies to provide strategic support to micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the tourism industry in the Caribbean. STEN seeks to contribute to enhanced marketability and viability of small tourism enterprises in the Caribbean through delivery of a self-sustaining mechanism that addresses the need for increased market access, more effective promotion/communication between the tourism MSMEs and the target market, and facilitates the packaging of ‘tourism experiences.  

II. Objectives

- Enhance the competitiveness of the small tourism enterprises in the Caribbean to meet new international standards.

- Increase accessibility and visibility of the small tourism enterprises in the Caribbean to the target market by use of the internet and other information communication technology (ICT) tools.

- Support and promote community tourism activities as part of the tourism visitors experience in a destination.

- Establish a sustainable mechanism to direct and support the network.

III. Activities

- Needs Assessment to identify priorities of small hotels and other tourism MSMEs.

- Social responsibility criteria added as critical component for branding and assessment of MSMEs.

- Incorporate Central Reservation system and blog sphere to Caribbean Experiences Website.

- Host webinars to train the MSME owners/operators and other tourism stakeholders on the new ICT tools.

- Conduct inventory of Sites, Attractions and Community Tourism Activities by country and showcase via the Caribbean Experiences website.

- Conduct outreach to identify and establish STEN Management Group.

IV. Beneficiary Countries

Antigua & Barbuda, The Bahamas, Belize, Barbados, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, St. Kitts & Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent & The Grenadines,  Suriname, Trinidad & Tobago.

V. Expected Outcomes

    - Contribute to enhanced marketability and viability of Tourism MSMEs in the Caribbean.

    - Improvement in the use of ICT tools for marketing of MSMEs and to enhance promotion/communication.

    - Sites, attractions and community tourism activities gaining added visibility and patronage.

    - STEN management group comprising officials from the Ministries of Tourism and other regional and international tourism organizations, fully operational and independent of the OAS.