Over 30 Tour and Taxi Operators benefitted from a one-day Training Seminar, hosted by the Tourism Division, which was held last Thursday at the Montserrat Cultural Centre. The theme focused on Presentation Skills and Professional Tour Guiding Techniques which was well received by the attendees.
According to a release from the tourism office, the lively and interactive seminar was facilitated by Kathryn McConnie. It provided a sound footing for new as well as seasoned Tour and Taxi Operators. McConnie is a veteran in the hospitality and tourism industry in her native Trinidad & Tobago. She spent over 20 years with the Trinidad & Tobago Hospitality & Tourism Institute (TTHTI) and currently lectures part-time at the College of Science, Technology and Applied Arts of Trinidad & Tobago (COSTAATT). McConnie is a Certified Hospitality Educator and has also made a significant contribution to the Tour Guiding profession in her homeland through the development of structured professional courses not only in this field, but also in the areas of Quality Customer Care, Event Management and Cultural Diversity. She is the author of her own book: “The Cicerone – Professional Tour Guiding Techniques”.
“The improvement of standards is an important element of the Tourism Division’s mandate and is one of the key areas in the recently approved Tourism Strategy. This workshop was another step in ensuring that the sector is equipped with the necessary skills to deliver memorable experiences,” the statement read.
Director of Tourism, Warren Solomon noted: “It was good to see some operators in the room who, after over 20 and 30 years in the profession, may have felt that there was nothing new that they could have gained by attending. However, their interaction with the trainer was extremely positive and this augurs well for a unified tour and taxi body, and ultimately, enhanced service delivery to our visitors.”
As part of its plan for human resource development in the tourism sector for 2019/2020, the Tourism Division will engage with local stakeholders to deliver training programmes in the areas of:
- Customer Service
- Housekeeping (for the tourist accommodation sector)
- Sites and Attractions Management
- Social Media Management and
- Presentation & Packaging of Souvenir Items
