On Tuesday 7th March, 2023 during a Courtesy Call with the Caribbean Public Health Agency’s (CARPHA)Director of Surveillance, Prevention and Control Division, Dr. Lisa Indar, the Minister of Health & Wellness,the Hon. Dr. Michael R. Darville along with Chief Medical Officer Dr. Pearl McMillan, Deputy DirectorGeneral of the Ministry of Tourism, Investments and Aviation, Dr. Kenneth Romer and President of theBahamas Hotel and Tourism Association, Mr. Robert Sands, all reaffirmed their joint endorsement of theTourism and Health Program (THP) and commitment to encouraging tourism and hospitality facilities throughout The Bahamas to fully participate in the program.
All stakeholders present acknowledged that the promotion of a healthier, safer tourism product not onlyprotects residents and visitors, but it also aids in sustaining economy growth. The health related datacollected can help to strengthen the country’s surveillance capacity to monitor and respond to tourism andcommunity based public health events and is managed with strict confidentiality.
The THP uses a secure web-based system designed to collect non -identifying health data from propertiesin real time and provide an early warning alert to health risk trends. The alerts trigger a response from thecountry’s National Surveillance Unit to investigate and mitigate against potential risk of an illness or diseasespread. Each facility will only have access to its own data. CARPHA will not have access to individualdata. Personal information about guests, workers or the company is not collected.
Use of the health information monitoring system and training in health and safety measures areprerequisites for awarding tourism facilities (including accommodations, restaurants, events, touroperators) the Healthier Safer Tourism (HST) award. The HST award is recognized by regional and globaltourism and health stakeholders. Moreover, it gives travelers the added assurance of choosing a healthier,safer option when making travel plans.
This week, ahead of CARPHA’s 67th Annual Health Research Conference that will be hosted in TheBahamas, April 27-29, 2023 at the Atlantis Resort, the THP conducted several training sessions at hotelproperties on New Providence and with members of the National Surveillance Unit. The program isexpected to be implemented throughout the archipelago with ongoing training opportunities. Facilities thatparticipate in the Tourism and Health Program and complete the standard requirements are awarded theHealthier, Safer Tourism (HST) Stamp.
The THP was officially launched in 2016 in six countries inclusive of The Bahamas and has now extendedto 13 countries. To learn more about the program or the upcoming conference visit https://www.carpha.org.
On Tuesday 7th March, 2023 during a Courtesy Call with the Caribbean Public Health Agency’s (CARPHA)
Director of Surveillance, Prevention and Control Division, Dr. Lisa Indar, the Minister of Health & Wellness,
the Hon. Dr. Michael R. Darville along with Chief Medical Officer Dr. Pearl McMillan, Deputy Director
General of the Ministry of Tourism, Investments and Aviation, Dr. Kenneth Romer and President of the
Bahamas Hotel and Tourism Association, Mr. Robert Sands, all reaffirmed their joint endorsement of the
Tourism and Health Program (THP) and commitment to encouraging tourism and hospitality facilities
throughout The Bahamas to fully participate in the program.
All stakeholders present acknowledged that the promotion of a healthier, safer tourism product not only
protects residents and visitors, but it also aids in sustaining economy growth. The health related data
collected can help to strengthen the country’s surveillance capacity to monitor and respond to tourism and
community based public health events and is managed with strict confidentiality.
The THP uses a secure web-based system designed to collect non -identifying health data from properties
in real time and provide an early warning alert to health risk trends. The alerts trigger a response from the
country’s National Surveillance Unit to investigate and mitigate against potential risk of an illness or disease
spread. Each facility will only have access to its own data. CARPHA will not have access to individual
data. Personal information about guests, workers or the company is not collected.
Use of the health information monitoring system and training in health and safety measures are
prerequisites for awarding tourism facilities (including accommodations, restaurants, events, tour
operators) the Healthier Safer Tourism (HST) award. The HST award is recognized by regional and global
tourism and health stakeholders. Moreover, it gives travelers the added assurance of choosing a healthier,
safer option when making travel plans.
This week, ahead of CARPHA’s 67th Annual Health Research Conference that will be hosted in The
Bahamas, April 27-29, 2023 at the Atlantis Resort, the THP conducted several training sessions at hotel
properties on New Providence and with members of the National Surveillance Unit. The program is
expected to be implemented throughout the archipelago with ongoing training opportunities. Facilities that
participate in the Tourism and Health Program and complete the standard requirements are awarded the
Healthier, Safer Tourism (HST) Stamp.
The THP was officially launched in 2016 in six countries inclusive of The Bahamas and has now extended
to 13 countries. To learn more about the program or the upcoming conference visit https://www.carpha.org.
