PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOP SERIES TO BENEFIT CRAFT AND SOUVENIR VENDORS

The resumption of cruise activities next month continue to make headlines in Dominica. Sufficient training of tourism stakeholders during the covid 19 pandemic is necessary to ensure safety protocols are maintained whilst Dominica continues its efforts to revitalize the tourism sector.

The Discover Dominica Authority in collaboration with the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) has introduced a professional development workshop series to incorporate certified craft and souvenir vendors.

These sessions are aimed at improving skills to assist in assuring a high quality of service delivery in the vending sector. This will also provide an opportunity for the enhancement of skills, knowledge and attitude on how to maintain high standards of sanitation and personal hygiene to minimize the transmission of covid 19.

“The topic areas would include health and safety in a covid-19 environment, the importance of delivering high quality service, striving for excellence as well as the first and last impressions as front line personnel,” Ms. Jno. Baptiste stated.

This eight session workshop commenced on May 07 and will come to an end on May 28 2021.

“We are targeting in total over one hundred and fifty craft and souvenir vendors who operate at the Bay Front, at the Old Market and at the various sites and attractions such as the Emerald Pools and Trafalgar Falls,” she explained.

Three out of eight sessions have already been completed. Ms. Jno. Baptiste says the workshop has been a success thus far. She says though the reviews have been positive, a level of reluctance was seen with the new covid 19 approach.

“We have some level of uncertainty as to whether they will turn out to vend and if they do how they are going to protect themselves as well as making some money. So it’s a catch 20-20 as to how to balance it off, making some much needed cash as well as keeping themselves safe. So we are hoping that the sessions will provide some clarity on how to move forward in the covid-19 environment,” Jno. Baptiste noted.

Though training for craft and souvenir vendors is a critical aspect of the resumption of cruise activities, vaccination remains a priority in order to have a smooth sailing in the tourism sector.

The vaccination drive to prepare tourism stakeholders for cruise activities next month is currently ongoing. Ms. Jno. Baptiste has appealed to tourism stakeholders to go out and get vaccinated.

“I would just like to make a plea to the service providers. We have been in a time where the tourism industry has been severely impacted and we have a glimmer of hope, some sort of light at the end of the tunnel which is the resumption of the cruise activities. And one of the first steps that we need to undertake as professionals is to go out there and get vaccinated as this will provide us with the necessary protection against covid-19. So I urge everyone, all the service providers, the taxi drivers, tour guides, vendors to go out there and get vaccinated,” Jno. Baptiste further added.