SVG Tourism Authority being restructured

The hunt for a new Chief Executive Officer of the St Vincent and the Grenadines’ Tourism Authority (SVGTA) has commenced.

Minister of Tourism, Civil Aviation, Sustainable Development and Culture Carlos James made the disclosure at a press briefing at the National Insurance Services (NIS) conference room Kingstown on Monday, September 18.

James said he has also advised the Board of the Tourism Authority to engage the services SkyGate Consultancy Group, headed by local corporate consultant Joel Providence, to conduct an operational assessment of the Authority, including an evaluation of its organisational culture, productivity and its efficiency.

The consultants, Minister James said, are human resource specialists, brand and marketing strategists and management specialists, who will work with a transition team to provide the restructuring that is needed at the Authority, including assisting with the recruitment of the new SVGTA head.

“We have recalled all overseas senior sales team members in Canada, UK and the US, they will be engaged with the consultants over the next few days in terms of our assessment of the operations of the Authority,” James said.

According to the tourism minister, “our country is at a critical stage in our tourism development, which requires an evaluation as to where we are in relation to our approach to marketing of the destination. We have some hard-working people at the Authority, but I think it is only fair for us to assess the existing organisational structure.”

In the interim, Avanell DaSilva, the Authority’s quality development manager, is in administrative control of the SVGTA. (API)