Enhanced Service in Tourism Top Priority of Ministry

Tourism Minister, Edmund Bartlett, has assured that the Ministry would continue to play a critical role in enhancing the service levels throughout the industry.
“With the opening of new hotels and attractions, such as Mystic Mountain, it is imperative that the new staff is equipped to deliver the personalized service, which means raising the service bar. High-tech service, a new definition of service quality, will be distinctive and will separate destination Jamaica from anywhere else in the world,” Mr. Bartlett said.
He was delivering the main address at the recent opening of the Rain Forest Mystic Mountain attraction in Ocho Rios, St. Ann.
Citing the Mystic Mountain attraction as being iconic at this time, Minister Bartlett emphasized, however, that the most iconic attraction in Jamaica was the people.
“We must build our people. We must strengthen the capacity of our people to deliver at high levels and importantly, we must break this myth that we have embraced in the historic process. We must break this praxis between service and servitude and create in our people a sense of purpose and a sense of vocation, as it is by vocation we ensure that we can use service as a critical ticking point to redefine Jamaica’s product and to make us an outstanding world class destination,” he said.
Turning to the value of partnership, he said that the Ministry was focusing on this as a priority, pointing out that the public and private sectors could accomplish far more in concert, than individually.
“Areas where collaboration can make a difference include: building an enhanced service ethic; involving our communities in tourism at every level; fostering a greater understanding of the role of tourism and last but not least, environmental protection,” the Minister noted, pointing out that the Mystic Mountain Rainforest attraction would be proposed in the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) this year, as Jamaica’s entry in Green Eco-tourism.
He congratulated the creators and developers of Mystic Mountain and commended all those who collaborated in the venture.
“When I visited what the world is today talking about as the iconic centre in the globe, I saw everything but the Mystic Mountain Bobsleigh experience and so I know that this experience will not just inspire those of us who are in the business of creating attractions, but that this experience will go a long way in redefining Jamaica not only as the central and most important destination in the Caribbean, but as the number one destination in the entire global community,” Mr. Bartlett said.