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Events Committee Meeting
On Monday September 2nd, 2013 the first sitting of the SLHTA Events Committee was held in the Eileen Paul Board Room at the SLHTASecretariat. In attendance was Mr. Daniel Belizaire, Chairman of the Committee and 1st Vice President of the SLHTA, Mrs. Eileen Paul SLHTA Honorary Member and Representative at Large on the Events Committee, Mr. Andre Alexander, Board of Director representative for Banks, Professionals, Educational/Training Institutions & Other Allied Members, Ms. Cheryl Skeete Board of Director representative for Small Properties, Mr. Carl Bevriere, Deputy Chair and Board of Director representative for Large Hotels, Ms. Lisa Joahil Events Manager at Diamonds International, Mr. Wendel George Project Assistant – SLHTA, Ms. Zina Haynes, Public Relations Officer -SLHTA and Ms. Yola St. Jour, Finance & Administration Officer -SLHTA. The Meeting was called to order at 10: 0 5 a.m., and the Chair welcomed all present to the first sitting and stated that he was looking forward to a productive term. The AGENDA crafted for the Events Committee Meeting is as seen below:
- Call to Order and Welcome Remarks- Mr. Daniel Belizaire
- Appointment of Deputy Chair
- Review of Past Even
- Open floor discussion on the way forward
- Any other business
The meeting concluded at 11: 30 a.m.
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SLHTA Football Competition
The Saint Lucia Hotel and Tourism Association (SLHTA) started its football competition on Tuesday 3rd September with matches between Bay Gardens Resorts and Cap Maison Resort & Spa at the Monchy Playing Field. Bay Gardens Resorts defeated Cap Maison Resort & Spa 4-0 during an exciting match despite the uninviting weather conditions. Elran Wilson scored two (2) goals, Kenroy Nestor and Napoleon McCartney each scored one (1) to win against their opponent.
On Thursday 5th September, at the Monchy and La Fargue Playing Fields, matches were held between St James’s Club Morgan Bay – Rendezvous and Jade Mountain – Sugar Beach A Viceroy Resort respectively. At the Monchy playing field, St James’s Club defeated Rendezvous 3 -1 with Keniah Toussaint scoring two (2) Goals and Germaine Benti scoring one (1) for SJC. Dale Harvey scored one (1) Goal for Rendezvous. Meanwhile in La Fargue, Sugar Beach lost to Jade Mountain scoring only one (1) Goal compared to Jade’s three (3) Goals.
The SLHTA Sports Invitational continues to be in demand by our members because of the excitement it creates among the employees. Coconut Bay Beach Resort & Spa currently holds the 2012 Championship Trophy.
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OECS Climate Change Seminar
The Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Secretariat held its third climate change seminar, which focused on ‘strategies and innovations in tourism and agriculture’. The Semiinar took place at the Royal by Rex Resorts on Tuesday 3rd and Wednesday 4th September 2013.
The theme for this year’s seminar, Climate Change, Tourism and Agriculture -Strategies and innovations for adaptation, is important in light of negative impacts that are being felt by these sectors. Predictions indicate that OECS member states are likely to experience even more adverse economic impacts on their most important industries, which depend heavily on the attractiveness of natural environments; and good weather and climate.
A major output, expected from the seminar, is a portfolio of new ideas for strategies and innovations in agriculture and tourism that will enable these sectors to better manage climate-related risk and build resilience. A number of pertinent topics were discussed Read More from source…
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In Other News…
Tourism Demand Exceed Expectations in first half of 2013
International tourist arrivals grew by 5% during the first half of 2013 compared to the same period of 2012, reaching almost 500 million, according to data just released by UNWTO. Growth was above the projection made at the beginning of the year (+3% to +4%) and is also exceeding the trend of the UNWTO long-term outlook Tourism Towards 2030 (+3.8% a year).
Destinations around the world welcomed an estimated 494 million overnight visitors in the first six months of 2013, according to the Advance Edition of the UNWTO World Tourism Barometer released on the occasion of the UNWTO 20th General Assembly. This represents an increase of 5% or an additional 25 million international tourists compared to the same period of 2012. Growth was stronger in emerging economy destinations (+6%) than in advanced economies (+4%), a trend which has marked the sector for many years now.
In a still uneven global economic environment, results were positive in all regions and subregions, though the overall picture was mixed. Europe (+5%) performed surprisingly stronger than expected, driven by Central and Eastern Europe (+10%) and Southern and Mediterranean Europe (+6%). Asia and the Pacific (+6%) also exceeded expectations, boosted by South-East Asia (+12%) and South Asia (+7%). On the other hand, results were weaker than anticipated in the Americas (+2%), as South America and the Caribbean lagged behind.
The Americas (+2%) reported a rather weaker first half of 2013 compared to the strong growth of previous years. Central America (+4%) performed above the region’s average, while arrival numbers were flat in the Caribbean and in South America.
The UNWTO World Tourism Barometer is a regular publication of the Tourism Trends and Marketing Strategies Programme of UNWTO aimed at monitoring the short-term evolution of tourism and providing the sector with relevant and timely information.
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Stage le Francais du Tourisme
French Tourism Internship
The Saint Lucia Hotel and Tourism Association (SLHTA) in collaboration with
is conducting another language and internship training opportunity for six (6) employees from St Lucia in the hotel sector to undertake a two (2) week intensive French language training from 20 October – 31 October 2013 in Guadeloupe. As part of the project the interested member property would be responsible for:
- Providing a letter to the SLHTA indicating your interest in the project
- Identifying the name(s) of the employee(s) interested in the training
- Cover the cost of airfare of the employee(s) to Guadeloupe (boarding and lodging will be borne by the hospitality school at which our employees will be attached in Guadeloupe)
- Be willing to 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)
These employees will undergo two weeks of intensive training in French, covering various aspects of the restaurant, hotels, tour operators etc. They will also be required to engage in group presentations and undertake various projects. Participants will visit hotels in Guadeloupe to experience and understand the way the french operate and learn the different cultures. Upon completion of the training they will receive a “certificat de participation au stage”.
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Customer Service Training
for Police Officers
Over the past 18 months, theSLHTA has made consistent attempts to address matters related to safety and security in the Tourism and Hospitality Industry. One such intervention has been the establishment of a high level safety and security committee on which the Permanent Secretaries of the Ministry of Home Affairs and National Security and Ministry of Tourism, as well as representatives of the Royal Saint Lucia Police Force sit.
One outcome of the safety and security committee has been the need to expose police officers to a greater awareness of the Tourism industry and higher level competencies in customer service.
The SLHTA has been in discussions with the Police Academy regarding exposure of officers to these skill sets and, based on a collaborative arrangement, various hotels will host training for 35 police officers in Customer Service training covering the following elements over a two day period:
- Excellence in Customer Service
- Define Service
- Putting the Customer First
- Effective Communication
- Public Sector Customer Service
- Building Relationships
- Customer Service Face to Face
- Customer Service via the Telephone
- Dealing with Difficult Customers and Situations
- Handling Complaints Expertly
- Customer Service Management
- The Future of Customer Service
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Chefs in Schools Programme
continues
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| Students & Chefs preparing main course.. |
The Saint Lucia Hotel and Tourism Association (SLHTA) continues its school outreach programme, Chefs in Schools, which is aimed at providing students with hands on experience working with Chefs in the Hospitality Industry. The two segment programme comprises of a theory and practical segment whereby the students will get an opportunity to listen to the Chefs personal experiences and learn about the opportunities that they have gained whiles working in the industry and also get to cook meals and make pastries along with the Chefs.
This 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 SLHTA continues to assist our youth by implementing such innovative and inspiring programmes. As a result, a number of schools around the island have so far benefited from the expertise of our Chefs. The following schools will be benefiting from our visits:
- Bocage Secondary School
- Soufriere Comprehensive Secondary School
- Entrepot Secondary School
- Marigot Secondary School
- Grande Riviere Secondary School
 With the support and sponsorship from our members and the business community, the programme continues to leave an impact in the minds and hearts of these students. The Association takes this opportunity to thank the sponsors and contributors so far:
- Bank of Saint Lucia (2013 Sponsor)
- Scotia Bank (2013 Sponsor)
- LUCELEC (2012 Sponsor)
- GL Food Market (2012 Sponsor)
- Cap Maison Chefs
- Jade Mountain Chefs
- Sandals Grande Chefs
- Windjammer Landing Chef
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“BLACK MAGIC – MAJI NWE”.
Sea Spray Cruises Ltd. would like to introduce the newest addition to its fleet “BLACK MAGIC – MAJI NWE”.
The ship is originally a 1965 scallop fishing boat which was purchased in 2012. The conversion into a Replica 16th century Galleon Pirate Ship took approx. 8 months. We expect to begin operations as ofOctober 1st, 2013.
The Ship consists of 2 decks at the back and 1 deck at the front which offer great panoramic views, that are perfect for taking pictures of the Pitons or catching the beautiful St. Lucian Sunset! There is male and female toilets onboard, and a well designed bar that can cater to large birthdays, weddings parties, corporate functions or any other private events. There is also enough deck space throughout the boat to set up tables for a nice dinner at sea.
We plan to cater to Pirate Charters and Events, as well as offer two main tours;
- Full Day Pirate tours to Soufriere which will include Treasure Hunts, Face Painting, Firing of the Cannons, Walking the Plank, as well as many other things.
- Sunset Cruises – which will be 2 hours long and include drinks, Hors D’oeuvres and a Live Steel Band onboard.
We look forward to seeing you all onboard!
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Feature Company:
FDL Pest Control Solutions
FDL Pest Control Solutions was founded by Christopher Lubin in 2004. Mr. Lubin is an Agronomist by profession with experience in crop protection, pesticide use management, landscape design and installation and urban entomology.
He has been involved in the crop protection, pest management and horticultural sectors for over two decades.
FDL Pest Control Solutions‘ core business concentrates on structural pest, perimeter pests, wood destroying organisms, vertebrate, nuisance pests and occasional pest control within the commercial, institutional and residential sectors. Additionally we offer a Garden and plant care service, consultancies and training. Our structure is designed to maintain a lean organisation of dedicated and well trained individuals delivering the best pest control service to our customers.
Our capabilities extend further through alliances mainly within the agricultural, pesticides, public health, pest control and horticultural sectors locally and regionally.
Our staff are trained on a regular basis to maintain their proficiency in pest control.
FDL Pest Control Solutions adopts a holistic approach to pest control utilizing integrated pest management, a close working relationship with our customers and the promotion of a “customer involvement approach” to pest control. We encourage customer involvement and education for the delivery of efficient service and total customer delight.
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Customer Satisfaction To Be A Focus Of Discussion At CTO State Of The Industry Conference In Martinique
~ Former CTO SG Vincent Vanderpool-Wallace to lead panel entitled,
It’s the Experience, Stupid! ~
BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (5 Sept, 2013)- It’s the Experience, Stupid! That’s the topic of a special general session on customer satisfaction at the upcoming State of the Industry Conference (#SOTIC2013) in Martinique.
The former secretary general of the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO), Vincent Vanderpool-Wallace, will lead a panel which will discuss the delivery of total customer satisfaction as a means of ensuring that visitors to the Caribbean get their money’s worth.
In his presentation, Mr. Vanderpool-Wallace will focus on harnessing visitor satisfaction through service delivery. He will illustrate how to anticipate, manage and exceed visitors expectations at every level of the tourism industry, using those principles to shape memorable experiences for visitors, therefore, influencing them to spread positive messages about the Caribbean.
“It is so much easier today and getting easier every day to share one’s impression of a destination, hotel or other travel experiences via social media. These ubiquitous digital impressions are so powerful that they have been described as permanently archived word of mouth,” said Mr. Vanderpool-Wallace, a former tourism minister of the Bahamas. “Instead of focussing only on ‘managing social media,’ people who understand the power of those impressions begin to focus far more on delivering a better experience for their customers and on addressing and correcting any negative experiences before the customer departs. Those who do not adapt to this posture suffer the consequences far more than ever before. Some say that at a destination level this is difficult to address. It may be difficult, but it is not impossible.”
The panel will also include Maureen Allen of Sectus Technologies and Commissioner of Tourism Karine Roy-Camille of Martinique.
The conference has its theme, “Perfecting the Experience. Delivering Authenticity”, reflecting the seriousness with which the CTO views total customer satisfaction, said Hugh Riley, the organization’s secretary general. To this end, the CTO has launched a Total Visitor Satisfaction (TVSTM) programme to measure and rate the quality of the experience that member countries offer to visitors.
“It is the quality of the experience that will determine if our guests develop such an emotional attachment that they become influencers and repeat visitors. The whole Caribbean will enhance its competitive advantage by providing unique and memorable experiences to our visitors. By introducing a programme that enhances and measures the entire visitor experience, from hotels to food to infrastructure, we can improve the product, share best practices, lift service standards, attract more tourists, and continue to thrive for years to come,” Mr. Riley said.
The State of the Industry Conference (#SOTIC2013) will be held in Martinique from 15-18 October, and is being organized by the CTO in collaboration with the Martinique Tourism Bureau. For more information on SOTIC, including how you can be part of this historic event, visit www.Onecaribbean.org.
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