The Ministry of Tourism gets set to engage a wide cross-section of the country’s tourism stakeholders of both the public and private sectors in two training programmes. The one-day Transportation Seminar is scheduled for July 23rd, to be followed by a Safety & Security Seminar on July 24th. The seminars will be facilitated by Officials of the UK-based Federation of Tour Operators (FTO) and will take place at the Jolly Beach Resort.
Both seminars will highlight the importance of the ground transportation sector and of safety and security, as factors critical to the quality of the tourism product offerings and the success of the industry. The programmes will also emphasise and clarify benchmark for international standards.
Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation, Sharon Peters, expresses the view that to tackle and successfully manage transportation and safety and security issues, there is need for all stakeholders to keep abreast of associated trends, practices and internationally acceptable standards. She stated “It is anticipated that the coming together of tourism stakeholders to discuss and gain information on these critical issues should result in renewed commitment and also improved coordination of national effort. Such effort should be geared towards upgrading the general quality of life for both visitors and residents, and ultimately give a boost to the reputation and image of our twin-island state as a choice tourist destination”
Also commenting on the importance of these training seminars was Corthwright Marshall, Director of Policy & Planning within the Ministry of Tourism. Marshall said “As a tourism destination, we must focus on developing our competitive edge. Having a service mindset and the ability to deliver service excellence is the most important attribute for tourism workers. Our hospitality workers and service providers must continually improve their performance and service.” He added, “With emphasis placed on maintaining a safe and secure environment and with professionalism exhibited by our taxi drivers, ground tour operators and others engaged in the transportation sector, these attributes can provide effective marketing messages to add value to our global brand identity.”
The Ministry of Tourism, Civil Aviation and Culture considers its decision to organise and host these seminars an integral part of its commitment to ensure that Antigua & Barbuda keeps pace with the changing marketplace and deliver a product which exceeds the expectations of visitors to its shores. The Ministry also relishes the opportunity to partner with the Federation of Tour Operators (FTO) as this makes it possible for our tourism stakeholders to interact fact to face with officers of an organisation which influences the vacation destination choice and experience of holiday makers.
