Minister Beache calls for Hospitality training institute

Glen Beache wants to see a hospitality training institute established during his tenure as Minister of Tourism.

He may very well achieve his goal, as two consultants are in St Vincent and the Grenadines conducting feasibility studies into the establishment of a Hospitality Training Institute.{{more}}

The two, Larry Bowman, a tourism training specialist from the United Kingdom, and Wayne Fong, a Jamaican architectural engineer were introduced to the media last Monday at a press conference.

“It is very important to me and if there is anything that I want to see done while I am here at the Ministry of Tourism is to see that (the hospitality institute) at least gets off the ground…it is very important to the development of tourism here in St Vincent and the Grenadines,” Beache said.

Shrewsbury House in Ratho Mill has been identified as a possible site for the Hospitality Institute, while the Ottley Hall Marina is being considered for a division of the institute to deal with marine tourism.

Beache explained that the yachting and sailing sectors are an important niche market to St Vincent and the Grenadines, hence the emphasis being placed on establishing a marine institute.

Beache said that it doesn’t seem feasible that both segments of the institute could be housed at a single location.

The consultants are also looking into the possibility of housing the Hospitality Institute at a location close to the site of the Argyle International Airport.

“We are looking into the possibility of having an airport hotel there that could serve as a training hotel,” said consultant Bowman, who was quick to say, however, that the assessments have only just begun.

Minister Beache also announced that work is being done on the development of the Ministry of Tourism’s website which he considers to be a “weak area.”

Three consultants have been engaged to deal with this European Union and government of St Vincent and the Grenadines funded project.

Beache said that he was happy to see this project, which his Ministry embarked on about three years ago, come full circle.

Three other consultants are also in this country to deal with the development of a Tourism Master Plan.

Regarding whether or not the Hospitality Institute will eventually fall under the ambit of the recently amalgamated Community College of St Vincent and the Grenadines, Minister Beache said that no discussion has yet been held on that possibility.