School of Hospitality will meet Training needs for Casino Gaming – Bartlett

Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, has said that the proposed school of hospitality has to come on stream by next year to meet training needs for the impending introduction of casino gaming.
He noted that the facility, “which has been put on hold because of the present economic realities. is going to play a critical part in the training and development of the cadre of professionals needed to drive this new area of development.”
“If we are to have casino activities in Jamaica within the next 12 months or so, we have to begin now to prepare entertainers of quality for cabaret shows and the type of entertainment that casino requires,” he stated.

Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett (right), has a moment with Jamaica’s Musher, Newton Marshall, who became the first Caribbean national to complete the grueling 1100-mile Iditarod from Willow to Nome, Alaska in March. Occasion was the Tourism Service Excellence awards ceremony held on Saturday (May 8) at the Rose Hall Resort and Spa in Montego Bay.

The Minister was addressing the Tourism Service Excellence (TSE) awards ceremony held on Saturday (May 8) at the Hilton Rose Hall Resort in Montego Bay, where Director of the SuperClubs Foundation, Mr. Dean Moriah and Beaches Boscobel were named the top national individual and organisation champions, respectively.
Mr. Moriah received a trophy, cash and a seven-night cruise for two, while Beaches Boscobel also got a trophy, Team Jamaica scholarships for two employees, and other prizes.
Minister Bartlett, in congratulating the awardees and nominees, noted that they represented excellence in service in the tourism industry.
“Tourism has always been the industry that drives customer satisfaction, as a satisfied customer is our best investment. We have to drive a level of customer satisfaction, which makes the customer king . because customers drive profit and customers drive return on investments,” he said.

Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett (right) presents the national organisation champion trophy to General Manager of Beaches Boscobel Resort, Howard Spittle at the Tourism Service Excellence awards ceremony held on Saturday (May 8) at the Hilton Rose Hall Resort in Montego Bay. In background at left is Director General in the Tourism Ministry, Carole Guntley.

He told the awardees to “consider yourselves a part of this new revolution where customer capitalism will drive the wave of the future, that will give returns on investments and bring more and more visitors to our shores.”
In his remarks, President of the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA), Mr. Wayne Cummings, said it is important to honour “hardworking individuals and companies, who all go out of their way to ensure that Jamaica, as a brand, is well recognised and represented on the world stage.”
“It is critical that awards like these get the type of prominence that they deserve and I would like to congratulate all nominees and awardees,” he added.

Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett (right) presents the national individual champion trophy to Director of the SuperClubs Foundation, Dean Moriah at the Tourism Service Excellence awards ceremony held on Saturday (May 8) at the Hilton Rose Hall Resort in Montego Bay.

The TSE is a project of the Tourism Product Development Company (TPDCo) and is funded by the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEP). It is aimed at recognising and rewarding individuals and organisations that exemplify service excellence in the tourism sector.