Welcoming the Cricket World Cup

Here in the region Cable and Wireless has already entered into an agreement with Caribbean Media Corporation, CMC, to ensure that everyone in the Caribbean has access to all of the matches being played during the World Cup.

Sports Tourism
The Caribbean Governments are perhaps most hopeful that the major impact of the region’s hosting of the CWC2007 would be the sustainability of the sports tourism thrust in which they have heavily invested.
Barbados has perhaps continued in the vein of being the most advanced in the Caribbean where sports tourism is concerned and the leadership there seems determined to maintain this top billing.
One look at the refurbished Kensington Oval and one understands the importance of doing things in style and of looking beyond the narrow confines of partisan politics when developmental options have to be taken on board. Excellence is never sacrificed.
Barbados has always sought to ensure that its construction of facilities of whatever type is a class act. The Kensington Oval now stands as easily the single most attractive piece of sports real estate in the entire Caribbean. It already boasts the region’s most attractive airport terminal.
Barbados has been the most organised Caribbean country in respect of the organisation of sports tourism activities. The annual Garfield Sobers Schools Cricket Competition, now well established, has long since furnished sports tourists from far and wide. Several other sporting disciplines are involved enough to allow Barbados to be able to produce an annual magazine that encourages the world to come to Sporting Barbados.
There is no surprise therefore that Barbados was the first Caribbean country to organise additional accommodation for the CWC2007. Once England is in the region for cricket, Barbados is overbooked.
Several of the other Caribbean countries are hopeful that the approach of the Bajans will be copied in their own respective best interests.