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Employee Exchange Programme
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| Last Year Participants |
The Saint Lucia Hotel and Tourism Association (SLHTA) in collaboration with the Institut de Coopération Franco Caraïbe (ICFC) is organising another French Tourism Internship to SLHTA member employees working in the Hotel Industry.
SLHTA Member employees in the hotel sector will undertake a three (3) week intensive French language training from 20 October – 30 October 2013 in Guadeloupe. During these 10 days participants will receive courses in French for Tourism, which provides thirty hours of instructions and then will be allowed to integrate into a hotel staff partner. The following employees have been selected to represent their establishment and their island:
- Angus Sexius – Rendezvous
- Marie Thomas-Alexander –Rendezvous
- Helena Alfred – Bay Gardens Resorts
- Sheena Rose St Rose –Windjammer Landing Villa Beach Resort
- Efedencia Jules – Sugar Beach A Viceroy Resort
The training programme FOS Tourism (French for specific objectives) is dedicated to professionals who deal directly with French speaking guests. This course will enable employees who interact with French speaking guests on a regular basis effectively, both orally and in writing.
As part of the project the participating property will reciprocate (accommodate the same number of Guadeloupe Hotel employees in your establishment later in the year, underwrite their cost of boarding and lodging as well).
The SLHTA is pleased to collaborate yet again in such a vital development programme and encourage participants to strive to do their utmost best as they represent their property and by extension their country.
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SLHTA
Football Results
The SLHTA congratulates the following teams making it to the knockout round. All the teams here have won majority of their games.
- Windjammer Landing Villa Beach Resort
- St James Club Morgan Bay St Lucia
- Sandals Grande St Lucian Spa and Beach Resort
- Bay Gardens Resorts
- The Body Holiday – Le Sport
- Sugar Beach A Viceroy Resort
- Jade Mountain/Anse Chastanet
- Sandals La Toc Golf Resort and Spa (one more game left)
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Honorary Member Feature:
Ronald Boo Hinkson
Ronald “Boo” Hinkson’s talent transcends cultures and sounds, bringing a fresh and innovative blend of jazz and Caribbean music. A gifted composer, producer, and heralded guitarist, Boo’s unique approach and versatility enable him to deliver a distinctive signature sound.
Born in St. Lucia and raised on a diet of Ellington, Davis, and Coltrane, Boo’s name is synonymous with St. Lucian music. His mother, who was also an accomplished guitarist, was his first teacher. His musical career began with the Tru-Tones, a group he started in St Lucia, who commanded stages locally and internationally for two decades. So much so in fact, that their eclectic blends of Caribbean and pop rhythms garnered them an appearance at Superbowl XIII. Today, he is an exceptionally accomplished musician who has stayed true not only to his Jazz roots, but also to his West Indian culture. Boo couples his appreciation of the old masters, with Contemporary Jazz, and Soca in his music and lyrics; and as a result his popularity has continued to spread.
With a performance track record that includes international stages from the Caribbean, to the U.S. and Europe, Boo has shared the stage with scores of musical greats including Al Jarreau, India Arie, Earl Klugh, George Benson and Grover Washington. He was recently featured at a state function for former President Bill Clinton. His music has been showcased on the day-time television show “One Life to Live”. BBC, BET Jazz, and Bravo TV have also aired his live performances.
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Staff Recognition
Treasure Bay Casino
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| Genavie Stanislaus (right) – EVS Supervisor |
The management team of the Treasure Bay Casino recently paid tribute to all the crewmembers who excelled in performing their various duties and contributed selflessly to the prosperity of the organization and its members.
The Saint Lucia Hotel and Tourism Association (SLHTA) congratulates Ms. Stanislaus on her award. The Association would like to encourage you to continue striving for excellence.
Ms. Genny, as she is affectionately called, is more than a supervisor to her team, she is a mentor, a motivator and in the hearts of many, a mother. She has proven herself to be not just a leader through example, but one who inspires. For all your hard work, sacrifice and dedication to your team and to this company, we applaud you Ms. Genny!
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Only Three Days Left
Summerlicious 2013
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| Talking Summerlicious |
The Saint Lucia Hotel and Tourism Association (SLHTA) encourages members to participate in the summer promotion as it wraps up its final days for this year.
Summerlicious is a programme conceptualized by the Saint Lucia Hotel and Tourism Association (SLHTA), designed to expose both locals and visitors alike to the diversity of Saint Lucia cuisine as influence by Afro, European, French and Caribbean Heritage.
Summerlicious features reduced prix fixe lunch and dinner summer menus at some of the finest restaurants island-wide. The promotion features fixed price lunch and dinner menus and comes to the end on September 30th 2013. Patrons can sample a two course lunch for as low as $30.00 and a three course dinners starting from $60.00.
Participating Restaurants include:
- ASPARA at ANSE CHASTANET
- BUZZ Restaurant
- CARIBBEAN PIRATES LTD
- CHIC
- DASHEENE at Ladera Resort
- Fond Doux Plantation
- HI-TIDE at Bay Gardens Beach Resort
- LA HUAT Restaurant
- L’EPICURE at Royal by Rex
- Marigot Beach Club and Dive Resort
- PIANO PIANO at Cotton Bay Village
- RAINFOREST HIDEAWAY
- SPICES at Bay Gardens Hotel
- St James Club Morgan Bay, St Lucia
- THE BALCONY RESTAURANT
- Ti Kaye Resort and Spa
- TREEHOUSE Restaurant at ANSE CHASTANET
- TRIOS at Bay Gardens Beach Resort
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“Love Elevated” Wedding Symposium
Ms Zina Haynes from the SLHTA will be representing at the “Love Elevated” wedding symposium which will be held at Sandals Grande St Lucian Spa and Beach Resort.
Noted speakers include renowned New York based wedding planner Sarah Pease; Denise Favorule, Executive Vice President of the XO Group; Erika Hueneke, Senior Weddings Editor of Destination Weddings & Honeymoons magazine; Lynne Leger, Vice President of Wedding Solutions at David’s Bridal; Charles Oster, Director of Sales and Marketing forMyWedding.com, along with other on-island wedding planning specialists.
Seminar topics will range from “Marketing to Brides; Best Practices” to “Creating the Ideal Destination Wedding Experience.” The weekend also includes site visits to idyllic locales around the island, a showcase of island wedding vendors hosted at Sandals Grande and the opportunity for attendees to observe a wedding at the iconic Pigeon Island. A sunset cruise cocktail reception and picturesque boat ride to the South of the island to see the natural mud baths of the Sulphur Springs and the UNESCO World Heritage Pitons, round out weekend activities. Read More
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In Other News…
Taxation & Emissions
The Impact and Real Cost to the Economy of Small Nations
Address by St. Kitts & Nevis Minister of Tourism & International Transport, Richard Skerritt, at the ICAO Plenary Session at its 38th Assembly- Montreal, September 25th, 2013
Mr. President, Mr. Secretary General, fellow delegates, distinguished ladies and gentlemen, it is an honour for me as Minister of Tourism & International Transport to address this august body on behalf of the twin-island Federation of St. Kitts & Nevis, located in the warm Caribbean.
In the 6th Worldwide Air Transport Conference earlier this year, it was concluded that States and relevant international organizations need to take a broad homogenous and sustainable approach to air transport and tourism policy. As we consider the numerous challenges and opportunities facing the global community in aviation both now and in the future, and as we work to develop policy for the upcoming triennium, I would request that this Assembly takes into account the peculiar vulnerability of small island states to the negative impact that taxes on aviation can have on tourism growth Read More…
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SLHTA to train 120 Police Officers of the Royal Saint Lucia Police Force
First batch of Police Officers in Customer Service Skills training at Windjammer Landing Villa Beach Resort
On Tuesday 24th September 2013, the SLHTA commenced the first of a number of Customer Service Training workshops designed to expose over 120 officers of the Royal Saint Lucia Police Force to the following skills sets:
- Excellence in Customer Service
- Public Sector Customer Service
- Customer Service Face to Face
- Customer Service via the Telephone
- Dealing with Difficult Customers and Situations
- Handling Complaints Expertly
- Customer Service Management
The training is being undertaken in response to a request from the RSLPF for assistance to strengthen the human relations competencies of officers. The first round of training was held in collaboration with the Windjammer Landing Villa Beach Resort. The workshop took place at the conference room of the resort on Tuesday 24th and Wednesday 25th September 2013 from 9:ooam to 4:00pm.
A brief opening ceremony was held with remarks from the Commissioner of Police, Mr Vernon Francois and SLHTA Executive Vice President, Mr Noorani Azeez. “It is particularly important for us to continue doing this sort of training and retraining of our police officers and it is something that has always been on our agenda but again because of fiscal issues has been a bit difficult“ says Mr Francois.
According to Mr. Azeez, “Crime affects everyone on this island and as such, initiatives to strengthen the skill sets of officers directly involved in stemming criminal activity benefits all residents and visitors by raising business and consumer confidence. The SLHTA is not prepared to shirk its corporate social responsibility and has, through the support of its member hotels, committed to a first leg of customer service training for over one hundred and twenty officers of the Royal Saint Lucia Police Force. This is but the first of a series of collaborative endeavors proposed by the SLHTA’s Safety and Security Committee to strengthen technical and attitudinal skill sets critical to creating a safer and more secure environment in which to live and work.”
The Association wishes to extend its gratitude to the Management and staff of Windjammer Landing Villa Beach Resort for hosting the first wokshop, preparing the training curriculum and facilitating the training.
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SLHTA Trains 27 Hotel Chefs in Administrative skills
In response to training needs identified by its member companies, the SLHTA has undertaken the training of 27 chefs from the food and beverage industry in administrative skills training. With the increasing demand for Training and Development opportunities, especially in the area of Customer Service, the Saint Lucia Hotel and Tourism Association (SLHTA) in collaboration with Monroe College is taking the lead in ensuring that these needs are met consistently and in a timely manner.
On Friday 27th September 2013, Monroe College welcomed ten (10) more chefs to their Administrative Training programme at the campus. The training will be held every Friday from 9:00am to 3:00 pm and is expected to end on October 18th 2013.
After this group, the College would have trained a total of twenty seven (27) chefs from hotels around the island. The training continues to be highly rated by the individuals who have done the course. The training covers a number of key areas such as:
- Sanitation, Hygiene, Safety
- Kitchen Organisation
- Food and Beverage Cost Control
- Food and Beverage Service
- Food Preparation
- Managing kitchen waste- emerging trends
- Preparing work schedules
- International cuisine
- Successful Kitchen Staff management
- Decision making
- Communication
- Managing change and stress
Upon completion of this course, a small ceremony will be held and students will graduate with a Monroe College certificate of participation. we wish the current cohort the very best in their studies.
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Florida International University
The Saint Lucia Hotel and Tourism Association (SLHTA) enters into discussion with Florida International University to undertake an FIU Certified Culinary Skills Boot Camp for 25 unemployed Secondary School Graduates.
The bootcamp which is being proposed forDecember 13th 2013and is expected to be facilitated by an FIU Culinary Skills Trainer and will provide participants with a World Class Certification expected to strengthen their employability.
The pilot programme is hoped to be the first of many such bootcamps promising to transfer world class skills from internationally recognised trainers. The bootcamp students in the following areas:
Culinary Preparation 1
* Foodservice sanitation
* Uniform requirements
* Use and care of knives
* Classical Knife Cuts
* Stock Production
Culinary Preparation 2
* Soup Cookery
* Sauce Making
* Cooking Methods
Culinary Preparation 3
* The Hot Appetizer
* Sandwiches
* Food presentation
Culinary Preparation 4
* Butchering
* Meat & Poultry Preparation
* Plate Composition
Culinary Preparation 5
* Fish and shellfish Preparation
* Vegetables & Starches
* Plate Composition
Culinary Preparation 6
* Yeast Breads
* Baking and Pastry, Plated Desserts
* Garde Manger
* Green Salads, Composed Salads, Vinaigrettes
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SLHTA’s Chef in Schools Programme reaches 120 Secondary School Students
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| Jade Mountain Chefs visit neighboring school |
Excitement, Smiles, Eagerness covers the faces of the students and teachers as the chefs make their way into the Food Laboratory of the Soufriere Comprehensive Secondary School. The Saint Lucia Hotel and Tourism Association continues to share the thrill of educating our future Culinary Artistes in secondary schools throughout Saint Lucia.
The SLHTA have so far reached a total of one hundred and twenty (120) students from eight (8) schools around the island. The schools visited thus far include:
- Soufriere Comprehensive Secondary School
- Castries Comprehensive Secondary School
- Leon Hess COmprehensive Secondary School
- Bocage Secondary School
- Vide Boutielle Secondary School
- Micoud Secondary School
- Entrepot Secondary School
- Sir Arthur Lewis Community College
 The brainchild of SLHTA’s Executive Vice President, Mr. Azeez comments that “the initiative is geared towards educating, supporting, and inspiring students with a keen interest in Culinary Arts. It is also designed to raise the awareness about local cuisine to students and encourage them to use more local ingredients in the preparation of healthy meals.”
The Chefs continue to lament the importance of eating healthy and using locally grown produce when preparing meals instead of using foods containing MSG’s. Chef Larry Monrose warned the students against using these products “At our hotel we try to avoid using seasoning with MSG, so what we do is to use fresh seasoning grown right here in Saint Lucia“.
Bank of Nova Scotia came onboard as a major sponsor for the SLHTA Chef in Schools Programme, funding the programme for another five more schools on the island.
The SLHTA extends sincere gratitude to Scotia Bank for the support as we try to give back to the schools and students and by extension, the community.
For more information about Scotia Bank, visit here
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Fond Doux Plantation Wins
Magaellean Award
Historic St. Lucia Resort Recognised for Room Design Excellence
Soufriere, ST LUCIA – The trophy mantle at Fond Doux Holiday Plantation is getting full! Known for its romantic, intimate and private collection of luxury cottages, the resort been recognized by the Travel Weekly Magaellean Awards for its excellence in room design.
The 2013 Silver Magellan Award Winner in the Hospitality comes from Travel Weekly, under the Standard Room Design category, picked from entries received from top travel organizations and professionals worldwide.
“The Magellan Awards are selected by some of the industry’s top travel organizations, so being selected a Magellan Award Winner is a tremendous honour,” said Fond Doux owner Eroline LaMontagne.
The Travel Weekly Magellan Awards honors the best in travel and salutes the outstanding travel professionals behind the scenes. Winners are featured in an issue of Travel Weekly in October, 2013 that will include a section dedicated to this year’s winners, andrepresents a high standard of excellence within the travel industry.
The award comes on the heels of a Certificate of Excellence award from TripAdvisor for the second consecutive year. In 2012 Fond Doux Holiday Plantation received two awards of excellence Trip Advisor for both the Jardin Cacoa restaurant, and the on-site accommodations themselves.
Through 2013 Fond Doux has built on its success with some physical additions to its existing operation as well as expanding its Green themed operations and programming.
This year Fond Doux will undertake a USD $2 million addition to enhance its health and wellness experiences on its authentic working plantation. These will include:
- The construction of 5 NEW deluxe cottages with rainforest showers and plunge pools
- Refurbishing of the existing cottages
- A larger lobby with a new lounge area in the main building
- A refurbished spa and NEW gym
All Magellan Award winners will be highlighted in the October 21stissue of Travel Weekly, which will include a special section dedicated to this year’s winners.
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Happy World Tourism Day
A Message from CTO
We at the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) salute the World Tourism Organization for asking us to focus on Tourism and Water – Protecting our Common Future.
This World Tourism Day, therefore, is an opportunity for us to reflect on all aspects of our vital tourism sector – the social, cultural, economic and environmental aspects – and the impact they have on our precious water resources.
Water is such a natural part of the Caribbean, with a seemingly endless supply of both fresh and sea water, that we risk taking it for granted.
Tourism, our main economic earner, relies heavily on reliable sources of water so we should find ways to ensure sustainable supply to our hotels, restaurants, entertainment centres, and sporting facilities. Visiting cruise ships also need this precious resource to function effectively.
Let us also reflect on how we and our visitors can sustainably enjoy the coastal areas oceans, tropical forests, wetlands, waterfalls and lakes, and how we interact with precious marine life and our underwater heritage.
Water resources serve as a direct source of employment for thousands of Caribbean people in the form of dive tourism, watersports, game-fishing and snorkeling. It’s for this reason, and the fact that we have a duty to future generations, that we must practise sustainable water-use policies.
The challenges include better wastewater management practices in our swimming pools, water parks and golf courses.
We at the CTO provide our members with opportunities to learn and implement sustainable tourism practices, including those related to water consumption.
One outstanding example is the Caribbean Hotel Energy Efficiency Action Programme (CHENACT) which the CTO manages in conjunction with the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA). This public-private sector programme helps Caribbean hotels to implement energy efficient practices and to generate their own renewable energy.
Since its launch in 2009, CHENACT has helped more than 80 hotels to reduce costs and to improve energy consumption patterns. We project saving the region’s hotel sector approximately USD $271 million annually in utility costs. We thank the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) for its continued support of this vital programme.
In addition, our annual Sustainable Tourism Conference (STC) engages key industry influencers on the sustainability of our destinations by operating biodiversity-friendly tourism systems.
Initiatives promoting sustainable water use must be backed by comprehensive education and awareness campaigns for locals and visitors.
We ask governments to look at legislative support and inducements, such as tax rebates, to ensure sustainable tourism gains wider acceptance.
We need a multi-sectorial approach – combining public policy and incentives; private-sector financing and endorsement; backed by effective community and visitor education and awareness programs.
But on this World Tourism Day, we must remember our responsibility as individuals to practise better water consumption patterns. By so doing we enhance the attractiveness of our destination which is also our home.
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SLHTA Member Profile:
Suntours Caribbean
Suntours Caribbean is one of the most established and broad-based Destination Management Companies (DMCs) in the Caribbean, with offices in Barbados, Antigua and St. Lucia. We also work very closely with destination management industry partners in Grenada, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, and Tobago to provide the highest quality representation services in the Caribbean.
Suntours Caribbean (Barbados, St. Lucia and Antigua)
was established to facilitate our Tour Operator partners who have the need for destination management programs in a number of Caribbean islands. Due to our broad base of operations, we are able to offer Tour Operators the same destination management services in all of the islands we operate in. This is beneficial to Operators, ensuring that there is no need to make several contracts with different Destination Management Companies (DMCs) throughout the Caribbean. We are, of course, also happy to work with operators who only have a program into one of the islands we operate in (Barbados, St. Lucia or Antigua).
Our aim at Suntours Caribbean (Barbados, St. Lucia and Antigua)
is to raise the level of on-island representation services to the operator and their clients. Through cost control and our ability to negotiate better rates from the local tours and excursions, we are in a position to offer attractive destination management and representation service fees.
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