The Week at the SLHTA, June 6th, 2014

Friday, June 6th, 2014  
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In This Week’s Edition
Vieux Fort Resort Featured in International Publication
SLHTA Meets with Representative of Johnson and Wales
Meeting with UK Department for International Development
New strategy for the Management of SLHTA Events
La Haut Father’s Day Specials
SLHTA President attends CTO/CARPHA presentation in New York
Win a Carnival Costume from Cotton Bay
Other SLHTA Meetings
More Saint Lucian Hotels and Businesses Receive TripAdvisor’s Award
SLHTA attends consultation on HIA Redevelopment Project
Secretariat convenes meeting of SLHTA Linkages Committee
SLHTA Membership Development Committee Meeting
Rex Resorts Honors Staff at Awards Ceremony
Local Hotel Links Agriculture to Tourism
New Acting Marketing Director for UK & Europe SLTB
Ti Kaye Goes Green
CTO, CARPHA, & CHTA Sign Partnership Agreement
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Coconut Bay Featured in Major Publication
 
The Vieux Fort resort was proud to be featured in Business World Magazine in their March 2014 issue.Business Worldfocuses on the biggest, finest, and most innovative companies across North America. Their research is invaluable to those in the industry, and with approximately 250,000 readers, this monthly publication is one of the leading online magazines in Canada and the United States. Congratulations to Coconut Bay for being featured in such a prestigious magazine! Read the Article

  SLHTA Meets with Representative of Johnson and Wales

Mr. Noorani Azeez met with Assistant Professor Martin Felix of Johnson and Wales University to discuss scholarship opportunities for students seeking higher education with the University.  The representatives also discussed other areas of collaboration for development of culinary arts in Secondary Schools and Sir Arthur Lewis Community College.  The meeting was also attended by representatives of the Ministry of Tourism, Heritage and the Creative Industries and Sandals Resorts International.  A more comprehensive report will be circulated later this month once the parties have agreed to the proposals discussed.

CHIC Supper Club at the Royal by Rex Resorts

Chef Eike Lauff presents another festival of flavours with this month’s Supper Club Menu, and Barbay Limited provide the expertly chosen wine pairings. Enjoy the Royal’s renowned fine-dining accompanied by live music in the air-conditioned elegance of CHIC.

This event happens tonight at the Royal by Rex Resorts at 7:30pm. See the delicious options here.

Meeting with UK Department for International Development

This week the SLHTA EVP met with a team from the DFID Caribbean Office to discuss their programmes of support over the next five years and possible areas of support including safeguarding of critical infrastructure from disasters, skills development for sustainable economic growth and renewable energy.

Country & Western Party at Bay Gardens
 
 
Those looking for a different kind of Father’s Day experience need look no further than the Bay Gardens Beach Resort and Spa this June 15th. The resort’s Hi Tide Restaurant is hosting a country western-themed party. The price of the ticket includes a buffet lunch, Chairman’s Reserve, and live entertainment. There will also be prizes!

 New strategy for the Management of SLHTA Events

 

SLHTA’s EVP and the Association’s 2nd Vice President met this week to move ahead with the Board’s decision for the outsourcing of SLHTA events.  The revised role of the SLHTA Events Committee will be to manage the outsourcing process and oversea SLHTA interests in the projects undertaken.  Key events currently being outsourced include SLHTA Golf Tournament, SLHTA pageant and SLHTA’s Rhythm and Spice.

Father’s Day at La Haut

This Father’s Day, the restaurants at La Haut are offering several special lunch menus. There will also be live entertainment and prizes. Be sure to check out their menus this June 15th!

SLHTA President attends CTO/CARPHA presentation in New York

SLHTA President Karolin Troubetzkoy represented the Association at a CTO/CARPHA discussions in New York this week.  The presentations focused on health issues facing Caribbean Tourism.  The forum, organized as part of Caribbean Week celebrations focused on a number of health concerns in the region and encouraged stronger collaborations between regional agencies to tackle some of these issues.  As a result of these discussions, the SLHTA was inspired to engage Saint Lucia’s Ministry of Health and a number of Embassies on possible areas of collaboration to address local health issues which can affect productivity and the general welfare of residents.

  

Book 5 Night Stay for US$193 And Win A Carnival Costume

 

Book 5 nights for US$193*** per night up to 4 persons in a 2 bedroom villa, inclusive of breakfast and wifi at Cotton Bay St. Lucia.

2 Lucky Winners will get the chance to jump with Just4Fun Band in Saint Lucia Carnival 2014!

All access to Soca shows, Breakfast Fete and VVIP treatment on Carnival Monday andTuesday.

See the promotion

Other SLHTA Meetings

 

This week the SLHTA Executive Vice President also held discussions with the following members and companies:

 

–          Windjammer Landings

–          Sandals Resorts International

–          Ocean View Hotel

“Certificate of Excellence 2014” 

More Saint Lucian Hotels and Businesses Receive
TripAdvisor’s Award 

The SLHTA would like to congratulate the following resorts and companies on receiving a TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence for the year of 2014. This award is given to businesses that continually excel and earn top ratings from their guests.

As the architect was creating the Anse Chastanet Resort, he took great care to fully incorporate the natural beauty into the guests’ experiences. What resulted from this thoughtful design is an exquisite immersion experience. This beautiful resort has an unparalleled view of both Pitons and access to the pristine waters of the protected marine area in the bays around it. This getaway has activities that appeal to the laid-back guest, the adventurous guest, and all guests in between. Anse Chastanet harnesses the natural beauty of St. Lucia and uses it to create an unforgettable, romantic experience. Visit the site

 

 

The Royal by Rex Resorts is a luxury resort located on Reduit Beach across from the Pigeon Point landmark. Guests can participate in a variety of watersports and beach activities by day, and enjoy dinner at a selection of bars and award-winning restaurants with live entertainment at night. For those looking to relax, the Royal offers a wonderful spa on property. Due to the hotel’s prime location, guests of the Royal can easily experience the rich day- and nightlife in Rodney Bay. Visit the site

 

The beautiful Ti Kaye resort is located on the cliffs above the beautiful Anse Cochon. Despite the modern amenities, the resort is designed to showcase the natural beauty of the island and the setting encourages guests to unplug and relax while enjoying the nature around them. The resort features a beautiful beachfront restaurant as well as a cliff top restaurant and bar. The Kai Koko Spa helps guests fully relax and shed their off-island concerns. One of the most unique features of the resort is its underground wine cellar, one of the largest in the Caribbean.  Visit the site

 

Located along St. Lucia’s beautiful southern coast, Coconut Bay is a resort unlike any other on the island. The resort is unique because it offers two very different vacation experiences. Harmony is the adults-only portion; couples and singles can relax in a peaceful environment. Splash is geared towards maximum fun- it offers the island’s largest water park, a paintball court, and more for kids and fun-loving adults alike. All guests can enjoy the 4 pools, the 6 bars and 4 restaurants, and the beautiful beachfront spa. This resort has something for every guest to enjoy! Visit the site

Sea Spray Cruises is St, Lucia’s premiere catamaran cruise operator. Since its beginning in 1991, this family business has expanded to three catamarans and a schooner. Guests on the cruises get to experience St. Lucia in different ways can choose from a variety of adventures. Their tours offer exciting activities such as snorkeling, ventures to the nearby waterfalls, trips through the volcano, and ziplining. On the catamarans, an entertaining and well-qualified crew helps to keep things fun and exciting on board. For those looking for a unique experience can join a pirate crew for a day on board the Black Magic, crewed by buccaneers. After a day of exploring St. Lucia, swimming, face painting, and hunting for treasure, families are sure to walk away smiling. Visit the site

 

Congratulations on your Certificates of Excellence!

SLHTA attends consultation on HIA Redevelopment Project

 

The Saint Lucia Air and Sea Ports Authority (SLASPA) is currently evaluating the possibility of undertaking a Public Private Partnership to redevelop Saint Lucia’s airport infrastructure and promote national economic growth.  In support of this effort, the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the private arm of the World Bank, and SLASPA have asked Development Communications Consultants – a strategic communications company based in the United States – to carry out a study of the degree of satisfaction among various economic, social and political actors with the country’s transportation infrastructure, including Saint Lucia’s Hewanorra International Airport.   SLHTA’s Executive Vice President and Representative for DMC’s, Travel Agents and Tour Operators Ms. Erwin Louisy met with IFC consultant on Monday 2nd June 2014 to share their perspectives.

Secretariat convenes meeting of SLHTA Linkages Committee

 

The SLHTA Linkages Committee convened a meeting at the Secretariat on Wednesday 3rd June, to continue the discussions on ideas to increase consumption of locally manufactured goods and services as well as address the needs of some manufacturers on island.  Manufacturers raised concerns about the importation of lower grade materials and products which compete directly with locally manufactured items and shared their challenges with crop production.

The meeting noted that as much as 85% of the products manufactured by Poyotte’s Joinery were purchased by hotels. Lubeco shared similar appreciation for the volumes of sales of their products to hotels, which they reported were very high also.

The meeting also discussed various aspects of an Agricultural Symposium which is set to take place on 19th June 2014.  Look out for more information on linkages and the Agricultural Symposium in next week’s edition of the newsletter.

 SLHTA Membership Development Committee Meeting

 

 

SLHTA’s Chairman of its Membership Development Committee, Mr. Andre Alexander, met with SLHTA’s 1st Vice President and the Executive Vice President to discuss many exciting initiatives being designed to strengthen the value of membership with the SLHTA. Some of these important initiatives of interest to members include:

1. Group Medical Insurance Program for employees of SLHTA Member companies

2. Local and International training programs for SLHTA members

3. Introduction of SLHTA member to member discount card

4. Annual Linkages Trade Show

5. Discounts on advertising for SLHTA Members

6. Discounts for employees of SLHTA member companies seeking higher learning opportunities

 Rex Resorts Honors Staff at Awards Ceremony 

The Saint Lucia Hotel and Tourism Association (SLHTA) Executive Vice President was the Guest Speaker at Rex Resorts Staff Awards held last week Friday.  Staff of the two properties, Royal by Rex and St Lucian by Rex were commended for their service excellence which resulted in a number of positive guest feedback and reviews online.  The following employees were among those who received awards:

St. Lucian, by Rex Resorts

Employee of the Year = Conrad Cornibert  = Guest Services

Supervisor of the Year = Alban Leonce   = Kitchen Department

Department of the Year = Accounts Department

Royal, by Rex Resorts

Employee of the Year = Sylvester Serville = Front Desk

Shift Leader of the Year = Cendra Jn Baptiste = Housekeeping Department

Department of the Year = Front Desk

Overall Manager of the Year = Ray Alexander = Purchasing & Stores Department

 Linking Agriculture to Tourism  

A farmer since 1975 during the vibrant years of “Green Gold” in St. Lucia, Cheryl Skeete managed her 10-acre banana plantation “Golden Acres”.  Not only did she sell bananas to Geest Industries, but also shipped mangoes to Antigua and sold produce and flowers to hotels in St. Lucia.

Today, still a farmer and full-fledged hotelier since 2007, Cheryl now supplies her hotelHabitat Terrace Hotel with fresh produce and flowers. Some produce from Golden Acres include dasheen, bananas, peppers, avocado and seasonal fruits.

Saint Lucia Tourist Board Announces New Acting Marketing Director for UK & Europe

 

Atlyn Forde has been appointed as the acting Director of Marketing UK & Europe, taking over from Jean-Marc Flambert, effective July 7th 2014.

 

Of Saint Lucian heritage, Forde has worked with the Saint Lucia Tourist Board as Assistant Director of Marketing, UK and Europe for three years and has a wealth of experience working in the marketing and communications industry for over 12 years. Her past roles have included Head of Communications at British Airline Pilots’ Association, Marketing Manager at British Dental Association, Marketing Manager at MRI Ltd and Production Editor at Haymarket Publishing.

 

To continue reading, click here.

Ti Kaye Goes Green

 

In their most recent newsletter, Ti Kaye Resort chose to focus on the steps the resort has taken to protect and give back to the environment. Guests were asked to participate in the Earth Hour celebration in March, which asks the global community to turn off their lights. They also hosted a tree planting activity and a beach cleanup, among other events. As for more permanent changes around the resort, their spa uses locally grown products and their restaurants’ food-to-go containers are biodegradable. The resort has also successfully constructed a desalination plant to provide guests with UV filtered, potable water that is bottled (in glass, not plastic) on property. Most impressive is the way that their departments work together to recycle each other’s waste for good; the oil from cooking fuels others’ trucks, the leftover sacks from the kitchen go to landscaping. The SLHTA lauds Ti Kaye for its commitment to becoming a carbon neutral resort!

CTO, CARPHA & CHTA Sign Partnership Agreement

The tourism and health organizations agree to combat health, safety and environmental issues in the tourism workplace.

 

The Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO), the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) and the Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association (CHTA) have created a partnership to establish and promote health and safety protocols and practices in the tourism workplace in the region.

 

The CTO secretary general and chief executive officer, Hugh Riley, the executive director of CARPHA, Dr. James Hospedales and the CHTA Director General and CEO, Jeffrey S. Vasser, signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) at a news conference today at the Wyndham New Yorker Hotel in New York City, home of the annual CTO Caribbean Week which celebrates Caribbean tourism and the rich heritage and culture…continue reading, click here.

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