THE Saint Lucia Hotel and Tourism Association (SLHTA) Inc. has collaborated with the Sir Arthur Lewis Community College (SALCC) to host weekly discussions with students in the Hospitality department on the expectations of the tourism industry.
The focus of the agreement between the two institutions is to give students an opportunity to gain first-hand experience from employees in the industry.
The first session started with a powerful presentation by Jemima Lorde, Marketing Manager at Ti Kaye Resort and Spa, a four-star boutique hotel located in Anse la Raye.
Lorde explained that although hospitality is part of the wide service industry, service and hospitality are two different things.
“Service describes the degree to which you have technically delivered a promise. Hospitality describes how you make the recipient of the service feel. It is measured by the degree to which the recipient feels you are on their side. It is important to note that excellent customer service skills and the desire to cater to people are essential for those interested in working in this field,” she said.
Lorde is also the Director and Co-founder of Lady Lorde and Associates a marketing consultancy, career development and coaching enterprise, and part owner and general manager of Caribbean Yacht Services Ltd. conducting yacht repairs and maintenance, yacht brokerage, yacht deliveries, yacht charters, yacht sales, and yacht management.