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Montserrat’s Tourism Training Programme Ends With Tour Guide Training

Brades, Montserrat, November 2, 2021. The Montserrat Tourism Division ended its 2021 tourism stakeholder training programme with a one-week workshop that focused on tour guiding, and tour and taxi operations. The course, which ran from October 25 and ended on November 2, was facilitated by Ms Kathryn Mc Connie from Tours Incredible which is based in Trinidad & Tobago.

Ms Mc Connie has been in the hospitality and tourism industry for more than 30 years and in 1993 she made a significant contribution to the Tour Guiding profession though the development of the very first properly structured Professional Tour Guiding Course which was culturally appropriate for the region. In 1996, she collaborated with the Trinidad & Tobago Hospitality & Tourism Institute (TTHTI) to ensure that tour guides were assessed and certified by a recognized institution which eventually became ISO certified and accredited by the Accreditation Council of Trinidad and Tobago (ACTT).

Ms Mc Connie is a Certified Hospitality Educator with the American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute and the founding member of the Trinidad & Tobago Tour Guides Association. She is one of just three tour guides from the region who are members of the prestigious World Federation of Tourist Guide Associations. One of her greatest achievements is the publishing of her own text for tour guide training, “The Cicerone – Presentation Skills & Professional Guiding Techniques”, now in its 8th edition of printing.

Director of Tourism, Warren Solomon, noted: “This training could not have come at a more opportune time, with our borders going through the second phase of its re-opening. One of our objectives in making these training opportunities available to our stakeholders was to ensure that no one lost their edge during the period of inactivity when our borders were closed and successful participants would also be designated as Montserrat Service Ready”

A total of 24 tour guides, tour operators and taxi drivers participated in the workshop, which took on a hybrid format. The first two days consisted of classroom instruction done remotely, while Ms Mc Connie was in quarantine (as required by Montserrat’s COVID-19 travel protocols). The remaining days were a combination of classroom and practical sessions, where participants were assessed as they conducted tours around the island.

“The programme was very well-received and participants have adopted a more professional approach in discharging their duties,” stated Rosetta West-Gerald, Product Development Officer at the Montserrat Tourism Division. She continued, “Many are quite keen to put into practice what they would have learnt over the past 8 days and we are also encouraging them to offer tours to the local community and to those nationals returning home who may have lost touch with Montserrat over the years. This would certainly enable them to sharpen their skills and continually improve their service delivery.”

Montserrat’s borders are currently opened to fully vaccinated travelers arriving by air – the island still remains closed to cruise lines. There is a mandatory 5-day quarantine for arriving passengers; they are tested on day 3 or day 4 and released on day 5 once the results are negative.

American Airlines Increases Service Between Miami and Anguilla

The Valley, Anguilla, November 3, 2021:  The Anguilla Tourist Board with American Airlines is pleased to announce that American Airlines will increase its service from Miami to Anguilla to three times a week, starting on January 5, 2022.  The new service begins with twice-weekly flights on Wednesdays and Saturdays from Miami International Airport (MIA) to Anguilla’s Clayton J. Lloyd International Airport (AXA) on December 11, 2021. As of January 5, a third flight will operate every Monday, on the same flight schedule.

The new schedule is loaded into American Airlines’ system and flights are now available for booking. The schedule as of January 5, 2022 is outlined below:

“We have worked extremely hard to provide a safe and enjoyable vacation experience to our visitors, with transparent entry protocols and now easier and more convenient access than ever before,” stated Kenroy Herbert, Chairman of the Anguilla Tourist Board. “We have a very low Covid-rate, our tourism industry workers and 80% of our local residents are fully vaccinated, and our stakeholders understand the concerns of today’s travelers, particularly around offering some degree of flexibility when making their travel arrangements.”

“We are thrilled and delighted that American Airlines is already incorporating additional service to our island, a testament to the strong demand for Anguilla and the premium tourism product that we offer,” said Stacey Liburd, Anguilla’s Director of Tourism.

“We are very encouraged by our forward bookings, and with new resorts, new attractions and new events coming on stream, Anguilla is definitely the place to be this winter.”   

For flights and reservations to Anguilla visit www.aa.com or contact your preferred Travel Advisor.

For information on Anguilla please visit the official website of the Anguilla Tourist Board: www.IvisitAnguilla.com; follow us on Facebook: Facebook.com/AnguillaOfficial; Instagram: @Anguilla_Tourism; YouTube; Twitter: @Anguilla_Trsm, Hashtag: #MyAnguilla.

Martinique Reopens Its Sky To Air Canada

Montreal – Air Canada is coming back to Martinique starting October 30^th, following several months of interruption of service due to the pandemic.

A direct weekly flight from Montreal (YUL) will be operated to resume service to Martinique with a two-class B737 aircraft of 169 seats, all equipped with individual touch-sensitive screens that grant access to a full entertainment system, including movies, documentaries, music, and games.

« We are delighted to come back to Martinique” stated Alexandre LEFEVRE, Air Canada’s Senior Director network planification.

“This proves how much Martinique and the whole French West Indies are important for us at Air Canada, as we have established strong relationships in the region for over 45 years now. As much as Martinique is a popular sun destination for Quebecers, Quebec is an appealing destination for Martinicans looking for leisure, high education, and business opportunities. This strategic route will be operated up to five times a week on a new generation Boeing-737 aircraft. We are looking forward to welcoming you on board.”

Air service to Fort-de-France will be provided in strict accordance with sanitary measures, to ensure the safest stay in the Isle of Flowers.

A sanitary protocol applied with care

Visitors must expect obligations depending on their vaccinal status and provenance. People with a complete vaccinal scheme must apply for a French vaccinal passport (https://www.demarches-simplifiees.fr/commencer/passe-sanitaire-etrangers) and and will not be subject to any travel restrictions while arriving to Martinique.

Non-vaccinated people or with an uncomplete vaccinal scheme must comply with the following obligations:

• Negative PCR test (72 hours or less) or negative antigen test (48 hours or less) prior boarding
• Compelling reason (personal, professional, family, sanitary and/or urgent matter)
• 7-days of self isolation when arriving and mandatory COVID test after

On the other hand, Air Canada implemented its CleanCare+ program in May 2020 that settled new biosecurity rules to allow passengers and crew to travel in a safe environment:

• Customer face-coverings and employee Personal Protective Equipment now mandatory
• Personal care kits containing disinfectant and safety items
• Electrostatic cabin spraying to reinforce aircraft grooming protocols
• Revised food product minimizing crew and passenger contact

These protocols will ensure the safe transportation of our travellers from Canada and allow the next intensification of airline service to Martinique this winter.

A gradual and necessary recovery

Named top emerging destination in the world by TripAdvisor in 2021 and recognized twice by UNESCO, Martinique is on top of Canadians’ travel wish list. Air Canada supports the growing appeal of the Isle of Flowers by increasing gradually its rotations to Martinique: starting in December, Canada’s biggest airline carrier will implement up to five non-stop flights per week from Montreal to Fort-de-France.

This latter news was warmly welcomed by Bénédicte di GERONIMO, Martinique Tourism Commissioner: “Our team worked hard to develop creative ways to convey the charms, qualities and authenticity of our island. Thanks to the work of the Martinique Tourism Authority alongside Air Canada, Canada has become the 2^nd main market for Martinique. We are delighted to welcome back Air Canada to Martinique’s sky!”

The island will hope from this resumption of service with Air Canada the recovery of its three weekly direct flights all year long from Montreal to Martinique.

Martinique is also looking forward to recovering its three flights per week, all year long from Montreal. Frantz Thodiard, CEO of the Aimé Cesaire’s Martinique International Airport stated: “The resumption of air service between Montreal and Fort-de-France reboots the historic link with Canada, a destination highly appreciated by Martinicans for its multiples offers and opportunities. Air Canada’s investment sustains the confidence inspired by Martinique as a destination”.

The Cayman Islands Department of Tourism Collaborates with CTO to Assess Tourism Skills

The Cayman Islands Department of Tourism (CIDOT) invites its stakeholders and partners to participate in the Regional Human Resources Development Knowledge and Skills Audit for the Tourism Industry. Commissioned by the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) with funding from the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) and CTO member countries and administered by A-Z Information Jamaica Limited (A-Z), the data gathered from the Caribbean-wide endeavour will allow the CIDOT to effectively make informed decisions in its mission to develop a highly skilled tourism workforce.

As highlighted in the CIDOT’s National Tourism Plan (2019-2023), “the first step in defining a strategy for ‘where we want to be’ is to understand ‘where we are now.’ For workforce development that means understanding the current needs and demands of employers, potential barriers to entry, training needs, supply constraints and other variables.”

“A primary focus for the Ministry of Tourism and Transport is ensuring that our workforce has the necessary skills for the industry,” said Hon. Kenneth Bryan, Minister for Tourism and Transport. “By working with the CTO for this audit, we will gain valuable data to identify gaps and further invest in our people. I encourage all relevant members of the industry to take the time to complete these surveys as your participation will assist the government in improving our tourism product.”

The Regional Human Resources Development Knowledge and Skills Audit for the Tourism Industry consists of a series of surveys targeted at different areas of the industry. The first survey is the General Establishment Survey that forms the primary data collection portion of this project. This survey should be completed by Owners, CEOs, Managing Directors, General Managers, or Human Resources Managers in the tourism industry including those who are self-employed. This first survey is available until Monday, 1 November 2021.

The CIDOT is helping to facilitate this project by providing information to A-Z who will distribute the surveys directly to relevant members of the industry. Additionally, any interested persons who are part of the intended audience can complete the survey by visiting the CIDOT website. Over the course of the next four weeks, other surveys will become available for completion.

“The CIDOT is dedicated to supporting our tourism workforce and collaborating with our regional partners to investigate opportunities for our people through research,” said Mrs. Rosa Harris, Director of the CIDOT. “We will use this information to further inform our decisions as we continue to develop our national tourism training opportunities.”

For more information on the Regional Human Resources Development Knowledge and Skills Audit for the Tourism Industry and survey details, please visit skills.ourcayman.ky.