Dominica’s Minister of Tourism and Legal Affairs Ian Douglas has told tour guides that their role in the tourism industry is a vital one.
He addressed the group on Friday morning and told them, “we recognize that your role in this industry is very important. You are the very first person and perhaps the persons that the visitors interact with for the longest amount of time while they are on island.”
He said that it is through their eyes and words that the visitor gains an appreciation for the island.
“You more than anybody else can have influence the experience the visitor has on island be it cruise or stay over visitor,” he reminded the tour guides, and stated that it is important that Discover Dominica and the ministry hears and understands the challenges that they face in order to assist them to overcome those challenges and perform their duties to the best of their abilities.
Douglas added “it is also for us to get a sense as to how you do what you do so that we in turn at our level can set policies that will enhance your service, enhance the service that you give the visitor and also enhance the experience.”
Head of Marketing at Discover Dominica Authority, Cathleen Cuffy, noted that at the end of the discussion the DDA will determine if there is really a shortage of tour guides and what it is that they could do to curb that situation.
Cuffy pointed out “we are also working feverishly to get a tour guide association together and that has been done but we are still hearing that it is not really functioning so maybe in this discussion we can understand why and what needs to be done because we think it is very important that you have an association, it is a very rewarding thing, to do there is strength in numbers.”
Tourism officials examine possible shortage of TOURISTS on the island….
Of course there is a shortage of service providers – not only for tour guiding but for other positions in the hospitality and services sector. I am speaking on trained persons.
The simple reason – migration – no work in dominica will force them to find work in other Islands or migrate to the US etc.
Get off your butts Ian and kathy and start creating jobs for the young folks.
Dear Mr. Admin what was wrong with my comment ?
possible shortage of tour guides is like saying there is not enough fish in the sea.
Douglas added “it is also for us to get a sense as to how you do what you do…
How long has the Honorable Minister been holding out his hand for that money? Just now he thinks it’s a good idea to understand the tourism business??/
We visited last year and we were robbed by the tour guide.A taxi driver charged us $80.00us from the airport to vieille case.Will not be visiting any more.sorry.
for some reason i do not want to believe the tour guide robbed you. That is unheard of in Dominica, “tour guides rubbing the visitors”…hummmm. Seem like the taxi man went in your favour charging you only $80.00us to VilleCase. In dominica alone you get that little money for that kind of milage.
80 US is a rip off by any standard. As a non-local but frequent visitor of the island, one should only pay $26 US to get from melville to anywhere pretty much. And besides that most transportation should never cost more than 10 EC during the day
It’s a shame. All these people in so-called authority doing is repeating the same thing over and over again every year and do nothing about it until the other year and they go on and on like a re-curring decimal. Let me see if the authorities still will not train persons as tourguides for the upcoming cruise season. We are already almost in August. Season re-opens in October. People let’s watch and see. It is sickening to the bone!!!!
Whey Papa .The most important Person who can influence the Visitor’s experience and not even one comment?I am breaking the duck but does this say something ?
This is a tough job if You have to hussle work.If You are working with a tour Company that has regular work it is not so bad.You better have other jobs because it is seasonal.
Maybe the government should employ the Guides and make it mandatory that all Visitors must be accompanied by a Guide especially on the Waitukubuli trail
maybe people are leaving it because its not financially viable to them. doesn’t sustain the “Dominican” standards of living. Maybe…..just maybe….
Moi meme…Seriously? Yet we speak about unemployment? Young men/women become a tour guide instead of wasting time on the side of the road. Here’s you opportunity to earn an honest dollar, meet new people, display pride in telling others about your country and contribute to this ailing economy. Prend ca… My idea? Recruit from the schools and spread the word by having a meeting for interested persons.