TPDCo Rebrands Flagship Team Jamaica Programme

The Tourism Product Development Company Limited (TPDCo) has rebranded and relaunched its flagship Team Jamaica training programme, which aims to ensure quality service delivery in the tourism industry.

The initiative, which was unveiled during a ceremony held at the Montego Bay Convention Centre on Thursday (November 16), now includes two new training courses – Level Two, Supervisory and Level Three, Management, to be added to the traditional Level One, Team Member course.

To support the enhanced offerings, TPDCo has launched a robust communication campaign across multiple media platforms, including a new website www.teamjamaicatraining.com.

Introduced in 1997, the Team Jamaica programme has played a crucial role in improving the tourism industry in Jamaica by providing training in areas such as tourism awareness, customer service excellence, and cultural awareness.

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Tourism, Jennifer Griffith, who represented Portfolio Minister, Hon. Edmund Bartlett at the unveiling of the rebranded programme, said that Team Jamaica has been contributing to the success of the industry since its inception.

She said that it enhances the efficiency and effectiveness of tourism entities, fosters growth and competitiveness, and creates a team-oriented workforce.

Ms. Griffith noted that the new supervisory and management level courses aim to develop leaders and individuals with remarkable influence and compassion.

“We will delve into essential qualities such as leadership, motivation, conflict resolution, employment relations, managing customer service, and tourism ethics. Through these skills, individuals who are operating or aspire to operate at this level will be able to guide and inspire their team, ensuring our visitors receive that much higher level of service,” she pointed out.

She noted that the management-level course explores topics such as tourism and destination management, policy and planning, and tourism entrepreneurship, which will help managers to better shape the future of Jamaica’s tourism.

For his part, Executive Director of TPDCo, Wade Mars, noted the entity’s commitment to enhancing Jamaica’s tourism product and ensuring its sustainability and worldwide competitiveness.

Mr. Mars said that the rebranded Team Jamaica training programme reflects this focus by investing in the workforce and setting a new benchmark for excellence in the industry.

“By empowering our workforce, we are not just investing in individuals, we are investing in the future of Jamaica’s tourism,” he said, while expressing appreciation to those, who have contributed to its success over the past 27 years.

President of the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA), Robin Russell, in his remarks, stressed the vital role that the Team Jamaica programme has played in the development of tourism in the country, shaping the way Jamaica sells itself to the world.

During the ceremony, several pioneers of Team Jamaica were recognised for their yeoman service to the growth and development of the tourism sector.