The Transportation sector and Safety and Security are issues which influence the quality of the product offerings and services of tourism destinations.
These two critical thematic issues were recently addressed at two (2) separate seminars hosted by the Ministry of Tourism and facilitated by a three-man team from the UK- based Federation of Tour Operators (FTO).
FTO works with overseas public and private sector Tourism services agencies, suppliers of accommodation, transport and other tourism services, to emphasise standards of health and safety for the benefit and satisfaction of their clients. To educate and inform, the organization delivers on-island training programmes to specifically address destination’s offerings and to highlight the concern of visitors and critical factors considered by the travel trade when making recommendations to their clients on destinations which can meet their vacation and other travel needs.
A client returning home dissatisfied with any component of their vacation package can lodge a complaint with the tour operator company from which the package was brought and has the option, if so desire, to take legal proceedings against the Tour-Operator.
Fortunately or unfortunately, a tourist who spends hundreds or thousands of dollars on a holiday (whether personal or family) does not only see a supplier/a service provider. He/she sees the country, their chosen vacation destination, as the place which did meet/exceed his or her expectations or the place which fell short of those expectations.
The seminars targeted industry stakeholders responsible for providing land (ground) transportation services to visitors and others including hoteliers, government agencies and statutory bodies. They both provided timely training on transportation as a critical sub-sector of the tourism industry and on safety and security as a growing concern among travellers throughout the world. Of note, is that a visitor’s experience as it relates to these issues could determine that visitor’s decision to return and also give positive recommendation.
It was empahsised that Transport service providers must therefore endeavour to enhance and benchmark their services against international standards. To do this, it is necessary that policies and procedures are documented, and adhered to. The policy document should address such issues as: Public Liability Insurance, Vehicle Registration and Insurance, Operating License, Driver selection and suitability, Training and Monitoring, Vehicle Quality, Service and Maintenance and Passenger Safety.
On the other hand, the perception of a safe and secure destination is of extreme concern and importance to travellers. One only has to look at the negative impact on hotel bookings following a highly publicised attack on a visitor anywhere in the world. However, Tourism Safety and Security extend beyond isolated attacks on visitors, petty crimes, visitor harassment, etcetera, to other human-made or natural disasters and their aftermath. It is therefore necessary for all tourism stakeholders to be educated and to be prepared to effectively and efficiently deal with a variety of situations/crises that can affect visitor perception of the country.
Highlighted during the seminars was the need for tourism stakeholders to work in partnership and where appropriate to be engaged in inter-agency cooperation so as to approve and focus on adopting appropriate measures to provide for the safety of visitors with the objective of guaranteeing the development and growth of the tourism industry, and to develop crisis management and damage control strategies.
Tourism destinations showing a high degree of consciousness on Safety and Security issues, will always maintain an advantage over its competitors. This approach will give the Travel Trade Professionals confidence in helping to position the country in the marketplace, to market, promote and sell the country.
As a tourism industry dependent destination, it is important that Antigua & Barbuda looks closely at its existing products and services, consistently re-examines its approaches and strategies with the aim to continuously improve such products and services. This should also be linked to on-going investment in training and re-training of personnel to ensure that management and staff are well prepared to take appropriate actions to benefit both visitors and residents.
Stakeholders participating in the seminars were challenged to use the information and increased awareness to benchmark their own services, facilities and amenities against FTO Preferred Code of Practice. The Ministry of Tourism is committed to advance that agenda as it promotes and encourages consistency in offering products and services which meet international standards. In the words of the Director of Policy & Planning in the Ministry, Corthwright Marshall, “We acknowledge that as the Ministry of Tourism, we will step up on our game of working with the relevant authorities and bodies, to monitor and enforce standards related to the issues of transportation and safety and security.”
Prepared and submitted by:
Cynthia G Simon
Manager
Tourism Education, Training and Awareness
Ministry of Tourism, Civil Aviation and Culture
