Small hoteliers get training

Shirlene Nibbs
Shirlene Nibbs

Small hoteliers are receiving training which organizers say will assist them in meeting the changing demands in the tourism industry.

Discover Dominica Authority (DDA) Head of Marketing and Product Development, Kathleen Cuffy, said the Organization of American States (OAS) Small Hotel Workshop is among DDA product development activities aimed at equipping service providers as to what is required in meeting the changing demands of the tourism industry.

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Tourism, Claudia Bellot, noted that it is important for persons who work in the tourism sector to ensure that the kind of investment that their hotels make brings in the required returns.

“You are the ones who interact directly with your guest and I know that you have a very important role to play in ensuring that your guests are happy and satisfied with the service that you provide,” she said.

OAS Representative from the Head Office in Washington, Shirlene A. Nibbs, pointed out that the main objective of the workshop is to focus on the connection between service excellence and business excellence.

“If you deliver what you promise you will make profits. Where we have the disconnect is that we don’t deliver what it is that we promise to our customers and in essence, we do not get the returns on our investment. It is my expectation that there will be a cultural shift in how we look at the key areas of training, standards, branding and marketing,” she pointed out.

Nibbs continued,”We Will focus on how you, as hoteliers, will ensure that your staff and yourself are trained to world class standards to deliver the service consistently, meeting customers expectations. This is what is known as your brand personality, what it is that people will go away saying about your property and that is how you are ready to start the marketing process. Your brand personality will create a high level of loyalty to your product and others will speak to the experience and help you to get your product out into the market place.”

Twenty-two hoteliers are expected to participate in the two-day training workshop. It is organised by the Office of Tourism in the OAS with collaboration from the DDA.

Participants at the workshop
Participants at the workshop

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15 Comments

  1. Dominican Chic
    April 3, 2013

    Thta’s a very small group out of so many small Hotels and Guest Houses in Dominica. This wasn’t properly advertized and kept only to a few. So much for wanting to make a change.

  2. river
    April 3, 2013

    Sorry its not the girl in the picture its the one that is the head of marketing and product development at DISCOVER DOMINICA AUTHORITY.

  3. April 3, 2013

    Trust you me,I do not want to be negative,but these workshops are all but a big joke.Ever since I was in Dominica the various institutions,such as the E.D.F,Employers’Federation,The Tourist Board etc..Frequently keep these workshop with no impact on the various business houses.
    More often than not,whatever that is learnt at these workshops go no further than the conference rooms where they are usually held.
    Yes, the employers support the ideas,but it is always the buses way or no way.
    I attend dozens of such,and whenever a new workshop was held,we dicuss the same thing all
    over again,the only difference was a change of the facilitator.
    And the beat goes on…

  4. river
    April 2, 2013

    that is not the same girl that steal at SEARS in Miami and she paid the fine. papa

  5. DonK
    April 2, 2013

    Two words: Talk Shop

  6. Anonymous
    April 2, 2013

    Who is the Head of Marketing? well well well

  7. Train Them
    April 2, 2013

    The need training on costumer service, i was just in Dominica for the cricket and they gave me a queen bed instead of the king bed we paid for. I went downstairs to speak to the front desk the lady ask me if i want her to go and take a bed from another guest. Unless something is done about the way people are treated da will never move forward. I am from DA and love my country but that might turn away an outsider about going back.

    • (.) (.)
      April 2, 2013

      :lol: :lol: :lol: Well, my guess is ,maybe they did not have king bed. Do you know how huge a king size bed is? I bought a king size bed once, only to return it because it filled up my room. Next time carry an air mattress…cheaper and more convenient. You won’t have to worry about paying hotel room. You can even sleep outside on it. Only thing you need to worry about are mosquitoes and beetles stinging you at nights. Oh lol and maybe soukouyants sucking your blood under the moonlight

      • Anonymous
        April 2, 2013

        Are you trying to be funny,? Pathetic comment no wonder the tourism industry is struggling.

      • wow
        April 3, 2013

        You sound so ignorant i guess thats why u bought a king bed and your room is the size of a pizza box.

  8. April 2, 2013

    Shirlene Nibbs is the best, that lady is a great motivator.

  9. Tai
    April 2, 2013

    Looks like a very small group. Says a lot how the issue is been looked at.

  10. natural living
    April 2, 2013

    and all the small hotels that cant afford to be certified or remain certified will miss this training when they are the ones that actually need it the most….

  11. grell
    April 2, 2013

    this guy looks pretty bored,you all are lost when it comes to tourism,hotel and our visitors cant stay overnight.the blind business people in roseau that still think we are int colonial days,dominica will never move forward with that kind of mentality.bushwa days are gone.

    • Too Hard Too Long
      April 3, 2013

      Thanks for the pep-talk, grell

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