Mrs. Diana McIntyre-Pike heads the team of the Countrystyle Community Tourism Network which includes Countrystyle community tours, Countrystyle Institute for Sustainable Tourism, Sustainable Communities Foundation through tourism, Countrystyle Community Consultants, International Institute for Peace through Tourism (IIPT) – Caribbean Chapter, National Association of Jamaican and Supportive Organizations (NAJASO) – Jamaican chapter, The Rebecca Pike Foundation for sick children. Her expertise is in marketing, public relations, hotel and catering, training and development of personnel in sustainable community tourism. She also owns and operates The Astra Country Inn in Mandeville, which pioneered Community Tourism over 29 years ago in the Caribbean.

She successfully studied hotel management, catering and tourism in England and Germany, also studied Tourism and Environmental studies at the George Washington University, and is qualified as a trainer in the tourism industry from Munich, Germany. Mrs. McIntyre-Pike has over 30 years experience in the areas of hotel management, catering, tourism marketing and training and development of personnel for the hospitality industry. She is presently pursuing her Masters in Hospitality and Tourism.

She has worked in England, Germany and Jamaica in hotels and has pioneered the concept of “Community Tourism” throughout Jamaica and together with her partner Barry Bonitto introduced it to the eastern Caribbean especially Anguilla, Dominica, St. Lucia, Trinidad and Cuba. As Chairman of the Caribbean Hotel Association’s Small Hotels Committee, she executed many projects for the small hotels of the Caribbean, especially the creation of the Annual Small Hotels Retreat. She is the President of the Caribbean Chapter for the International Institute for Peace through Tourism and Chairman of the Rural and Community-based Tourism Network (which involves over 70 countries.)

In Jamaica she has trained and developed several communities in self-development including etiquette, environment and general knowledge on a voluntary basis and now offers several courses for the community through the Countrystyle Institute at the Astra Country Inn. The Countrystyle Community Tours have successfully attracted local and overseas visitors to experience the Jamaican culture, heritage, music, cuisine and general way of life. The Countrystyle Village Programme has now become a major feature for “The Community Experience Vacations” in Jamaica and the Caribbean.

She is a Chairman of NCTVET Central & South Region Committee, Council Member of the Jamaica Hotel & Tourist Association, Director of the Caribbean Hotel Association, Executive Director of the Sustainable Communities Foundation through Tourism (SCF), past Chairman of UTECH’s School of Hospitality and Tourism and spearheaded the establishment of their Diploma and Degree programmes. She is involved in many community organizations and is committed to the development of communities in Jamaica and throughout the Caribbean.

Abstract: Diana Mcintyre-Pike - "Community Tourism: The Way Forward"