Service excellence – the way forward

30.NOV.07 by Minister of Tourism the Hon. Glen Beache

The theme of this year’s Tourism Week: “Building a Culture of Service Excellence for SVG’s Tourism Industry” is timely in light of the developments currently taking place within our Tourism Industry. With Government and Investors’ infrastructural enhancements, namely new hotels, airports and roads, our multi-island destination, is as it were, about to take off into a new era of Tourism Development. However, what would all these things mean if they are not met with correspondingly adequate improvement in the service offered in all areas related to Tourism?{{more}}

St. Vincent & the Grenadines now boasts the newly reopened Grenadine House offering 20 boutique rooms, among other amenities. We are also looking forward to an 80 room development in Friendship Bay, Bequia Рthe Bequia Beach Hotel, phase 1 of which is expected to premier in December 2007 with 12 fully-appointed rooms, a penthouse suite with a private whirlpool and deck; and six bungalows, including three two-bedroom and three one-bedroom villas. An infinity swimming pool, the Blue Tropic Caf̩ and the Beach Bar will complete this initial phase for 2007.

Additionally, St. Vincent’s first condo-villa resort, Bucamment Beach Resort is well on its way. It includes 291 spacious cabanas, four apartment blocks and two hotel blocks. An adjoining spa resort will house restaurant and spa services, as well as 40 luxury rooms. In mid-2008, an elaborate restaurant and bar in the form of a pirate ship (inspired by the trio of “Pirate of the Caribbean” blockbuster movies filmed here) will follow. These aspects and more of this development will undoubtedly position our destination for increased quality tourist arrivals and expenditure in the years ahead.

Importantly, coupled with such hotel developments are the Airport developments taking place throughout the islands. The US$15.5 million expansion of the airport in Canouan is nearing completion, and the US$178 Argyle International Airport, slated for 2011, will effectively open up the country to jet aircraft and non-stop flights from North American cities. The road developments taking place on St. Vincent are also fundamentally important to the enhancement of our Tourism Services.

The careful and optimal management of this important sector, which for the first time reached an EC$300 million mark in Visitor Expenditure for the year 2006, is also being addressed by government. In September this year, the St. Vincent & the Grenadines Tourism Authority Bill received its third reading and was passed in the House of Parliament. With such a structure soon to be in place, the product development and marketing powers of our destination’s Tourism services will have more flexibility in their management, among other things.

St. Vincent & the Grenadines has things excellent to look forward to and we need all on board to bring the human excellence in service to these excellent improvements and developments. This service excellence must be visible and felt from our vendors to our store personnel to our bank tellers. It must become a part of our everyday consciousness. This is our country. We must keep it clean and beautiful for continued wellbeing and success in our lives and our Tourism Industry.