New community group aims to boost St Andrew tourism

A newly established community organisation in St Andrew plans to capitalise on the rugged rural parish’s tourism potential, with a focus on sustainable development and environmental awareness.

The St Andrew Community Development Commission, launched on Thursday, aims to “uplift, empower, and celebrate” the parish, according to co-founder and director Selena King.

“St Andrew is a picturesque parish brimming with history, heritage, and culture that we are eager to showcase to the world through our eyes,” King said at the launch event. She emphasised the parish’s “stories of perseverance” and “natural and astonishing beauty” as key assets for tourism development.

Under the slogan Empowering Communities through Tourism, the commission’s primary goal is to create a strong tourism legacy for future generations. However, recognising the parish’s challenges with landslides, the organisation has also formed a separate entity to address this issue.

An environmental club will be established as part of the commission’s education and community awareness committee. King highlighted its importance, stating, “Given St Andrew’s challenges with land slippage, beach erosion, and the presence of coastal lying communities, we consider this initiative to be of utmost importance within our commission.”

The club will focus on climate change awareness and eco-tourism initiatives, particularly targeting youth engagement.

“We will be looking to empower and encourage young people to become environmental stewards, fostering a sense of ownership, responsibility and activism towards environmental issues,” King explained.

In addition to environmental efforts, the commission plans to offer skills development workshops in robotics and coding. King noted that introducing these technologies in tourism education “equips persons with skills in emerging technologies.”

Among the organisation’s ambitious plans for this year is the launch of the St Andrew Heritage Festival. This event will showcase cultural performances, culinary creations, and historical exhibits, among other attractions.