AS part of its efforts to enhance the cruise tourism product on island, the Ministry of Tourism disclosed that tourism ambassadors will shortly be introduced as an added feature of the overall hospitality service package.
According to government sources, the Hospitality Ambassadors will be employed to help improve the tourism product and assist cruise visitors to the island.
The ambassadors will be responsible for aiding the visitors at various sites. This is in keeping with the ministry’s commitment to improve service and enhance the experience of cruise passengers.
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Tourism, Donalyn Vitae explained that the hospitality ambassadors’ programme is in response to addressing certain deficiencies in the service provided to cruise visitors.
“We have coined the programme – the Hospitality Ambassadors Programme and this programme is designed to improve the cruise sector product,” she said.
“Certain improvements that we need to make is to ensure that we have persons on the ground who are capable and competent to provide direction to the visitors and to give information, make recommendations and to be able to have (forge) a link between the ministry and the visitor,” added Vitae.
The ministry official said this initiative aims to provide visitor satisfaction and “positioning Saint Lucia to be one of the leading destinations for cruise tourism.”
The ambassadors will be stationed along major tourism areas in Castries, Gros Islet, and Soufriere. The Castries route will include Point Seraphine and within the city circuit, while the Gros Islet hub will take in the Rodney Bay Strip and the town centre.
Currently, the ambassadors are undergoing an intensive two-week training session leading to employment from next month, November.
“We are ensuring that the skills and the information will be presented to the ambassadors within the two-week intensive training …looking at knowledge of the industry, knowledge and history of Saint Lucia,” she noted.
The training sessions will also take in preparations for work, and high-quality customer service delivery.
Vitae anticipates there will be further training after the first working cycle and the ministry intends to sustain this programme.
Vitae said there are plans to include the learning of foreign languages and overseas familiarization trips as part of the training module.