REPORT OF THE HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT



REPORT OF THE HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT

SEPTEMBER 2008 – APRIL 2009

1. Caribbean Service Excellence Programme – Hospitality Assured

The Bahamas Hotel Association and the Ministry of Tourism in the Bahamas, through an IDB-funded Sustainable Tourism Entrepreneurial Management and Marketing Project (STEMM), is in the process of preparing 20 small hotels in the Bahamas to become Hospitality Assured certified. To assist them in their efforts an Advisors’ training programme was conducted in the Bahamas, from January 12 to 17, 2009, to provide this country with more persons to help prepare the businesses for certification. The HR Director is also preparing a project proposal to PROINVEST, to support 10 businesses in each of the 8 pilot countries, to assist them in becoming Hospitality Assured certified. The deadline date for the submission of the project proposal is the end of May 2009. If the project is approved, implementation can begin as soon as July 2009.

On January 29, 2009, the Director of Human Resources was invited by the Discover Dominica Authority to make a presentation on Hospitality Assured, to about 25 persons from both the tourism private and public sector. The reception was very positive with respect to the programme.

2. Certificate Tour Guide Training Programme

The department is now working with the HEART Trust/NTA in Jamaica to develop two (2) Levels of curricula for Tour Guide Training for the region, which will be offered as a Caribbean Vocational Qualification (CVQ). Curriculum for Level 2 has been developed by HEART and reviewed by the CTO, and curriculum for Level 3 is now been worked on. Both sets of curriculum will be supported by Learner Guides and a tour guiding DVD, produced by Jamaica. In November 2007, the department ran a tour guide train-the-trainer programme in Dominica, training 12 persons across the region. In conjunction with HEART, another regional tour guide train-the trainer programme is being planned in Jamaica, in the first two weeks of July 2009, benefitting a further 12 regional participants. The Organization of American States (OAS) is providing funding for the development of the two levels of curricula, the development of Learner Guides for Level 3 curriculum, as well as funding support for the trainers and other expenses for the train-the trainer programme in July. Funding is also being sought for the development of an interactive CD to support tour guide training.

3. Quality Assurance

A Regional Quality Assurance Framework and Guidelines for Tertiary Education Institutions was completed by the consultant in February 2008 and submitted to the CTO. On March 18 and 19, 2009, in Barbados, the Caribbean Knowledge and Learning Network (CKLN) invited persons from across the region to discuss and develop guidelines with respect to Online and Distance Learning considerations in the overall Quality Assurance Framework and Guidelines. This was successfully completed, with the HR department’s involvement. The next steps will be to finalize the document and submit to the appropriate Caricom technical committee for review and final endorsement at the earliest possible time. The document will subsequently be made available to all tertiary education institutions for their use.

4. Tourism Human Resources Conference

Planning for the 5th Tourism Human Resource Conference took place during this reporting period. The conference is being hosted by Curacao, from May 27-29, 2009 and the department is working with the Curacao Tourist Board in the planning of this event. The theme of the conference is “Best Practices for Creating a Motivated and Productive Tourism Workforce” and the topics of discussion include:

• From Service to Experience: The New Hospitable Experience Paradigm

• Making Tourism Jobs Aspirational and Challenging

• Executive Coaching and Team Building Techniques to Create a World Class Workforce

• Creating a Culture of Lifelong Learning at Work

• Metrics for Measuring and Monitoring Productivity and Performance in the Workplace

• Managing Stress in Difficult Times

• Learning from the Best: Success Strategies in Tough Economic Times

5. Regional Tourism Awareness Programmes

The department developed two (2) Making Waves tourism bulletins for children Ages 9-11 during this reporting period. The first issue focused on Cultural and Heritage Tourism and the second issue focused on Intra-Caribbean Travel. Both issues are on the CTO website

6. Training Activities and Seminars

CTO conducted one workshop at its headquarters, using CTO training materials, on the subject “The Management of Service Quality.” Eight (8) persons attended from around the region and the feedback on the workshop was very positive.

7. Training Attachments and Internships

CTO headquarters hosted one (1) intern during this period, who was assigned to the Information Management and Research Department.

8. The CTO Foundation

The Foundation created its second newsletter, highlighting the achievements of the Foundation to date, and doing a 10 year re-cap (1998-2008) of the work of the Foundation. It is expecting to disburse its 2009 scholarships and study grants by the end of May 2009.

9. Managing the internal human resources of the CTO

The CTO had 4 substantial vacancies and one head of department on pre-retirement leave during this reporting period. The position of Sustainable Tourism Product Specialist was filled on February 23, 2009. The position of the Director of Marketing for the U.K./Europe was filled on April 1, 2009. The filling of the vacancy for a Director of Research and Information Management was to be looked at after the submission of a report which reviewed the strengthening of the research department of the CTO. A determination is to be made with this vacancy. The position of Secretary General was advertised and received sixty five (65) interested applicants. At the writing of this report the timing of the final interviews is yet to be determined. The position of the Director of Finance and Resource Management cannot be filled until August 2009 since the person who filled that position is on pre-retirement leave.

10. Meetings and Other Miscellaneous Activities

► The Caricom Regional Organization for Standards and Quality (CROSQ) – the department head was very much involved in the development and review of a Code of Practice for Tour Guides and Ground Tour Operators, and the review of regional standards for Accommodation and Rental Vehicles, under the aegis of the Tourism Technical Committee of CROSQ.

► CTO Business Meetings and Tourism Awareness Activities – the department head participated in the October business meetings of the CTO on October 26, 2008, and the Tourism Youth Congress and Conde Nast Essay Competition on October 27, 2008, in Trinidad.

► Meetings with the CTO Chairmen – the department head was involved in the meetings with the former Chairman of the CTO, Minister Harold Lovell on December 17th 2008, and with current Chairman of CTO, Minister John Maginley on March 3, 2009.

► Association of Caribbean Tertiary Institutions (ACTI) - the department head attended the ACTI conference and annual general meeting in Barbados, on November 20 and 21, 2008.

► Presentations on the work of the HR department – the department head made a presentation to two separate UWI groups, one on January 27, 2009 and the second on March 5, 2009, regarding the work of the CTO HR department.

► IICA Agro Tourism Meeting – the department head represented the CTO at a meeting of IICA, which looked at Agro-Tourism linkages, and which provided a very noteworthy presentation of an OXFAM model in St. Lucia, which was working successfully, and which linked the farmers to the hotels, as well as some other good practices in agro tourism.

► UNECLAC High Level Advisory Committee – the department head represented CTO at a UNECLAC High Level Advisory Committee meeting in Barbados, on 13 February, 2009, which shared progress on a number of projects taking place in the Caribbean and Latin America looking at the economic impacts of climate change. The CTO has been asked to be part of this high level advisory committee which will review the completed country project reports on the economic impacts of climate change and help in the reviewing of a comprehensive final report for Latin American and the Caribbean, fashioned like the Stern Report, which will be presented at the upcoming COP 15 United Nations Climate Conference in Copenhagen, in December 2009.

► Careers Showcase -The department participated in one career showcase in Barbados at the Combermere Secondary School on March 8, 2009.

► Montserrat Tourism Challenge Fund – on the request of the Montserrat Tourist Board, the CTO Director of Human Resources and Communications Officer reviewed forty six (46) project proposals which were sent by the Montserrat Tourist Board and selected those which merited support from the Tourism Challenge Fund, based on criteria developed by the Tourist Board. A total of 16 projects were selected for funding support, and the Communications Officer travelled to Montserrat to meet with the Tourist Board Directors and to be part of the public relations activity related to the announcing of the successful projects. It was recommended that Montserrat share this concept of the tourism challenge fund with other CTO member countries.

► Caribbean Hotel Energy Efficiency Action Program (CHENACT) – in the absence of the Sustainable Tourism Product Specialist, the director of Human Resources was fully engaged in the final round of negotiations, document reviews, development of Memoranda of Understanding and contract letters for the launching of this project during this reporting period. The overall objective of the CHENACT project is to improve the competitiveness of small and medium hotels in the Caribbean region through improved use of energy. CTO is the Executing Agency for the project and the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association/Caribbean Alliance for Sustainable Tourism is the Implementing Agency. The majority of the funding is being provided by the Inter-American Development Bank. The specific component of this project will be elaborated on in the Sustainable Tourism report.

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