Tourism Service Excellence Awards to Be Presented on March 17

Ten individuals and 11 properties/organisations will vie for trophies, cash and other prizes at the prestigious Tourism Service Excellence Awards (TSEA) ceremony, slated for Saturday, March 17 at the Montego Bay Convention Centre in St. James.

The entrants were selected from 126 nominees, covering the regions of Ocho Rios, Negril, Kingston, the south coast and Montego Bay.

The semi-finalists, who represent various categories within the industry, including accommodation, ground transportation, attractions and the craft industry, were chosen by a panel of judges based on their performance during 2017, following a series of evaluations and interviews.

The TSEAs seek to recognise individuals and organisations demonstrating best practices and offering excellent customer service.

Executive Director of the Tourism Product Development Company (TPDCo), Dr. Andrew Spencer, told JIS News that the TSEAs are a component of the Tourism Service Excellence Awards Programme (TSEAP), which is implemented by TPDCo and financed by the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF).

He pointed out that the TSEAP aims to select, showcase and award the best in service excellence, in order to establish internal benchmarks for the various business categories in the tourism industry.

“It (TSEAP) is geared towards unearthing and showcasing the best of our Jamaican people, as the best part of our product is the warmth of the people and the service; and so, the visitor experience is what will give us repeat business,” Dr. Spencer pointed out.

“We boast a 42 per cent repeat business in tourism, and we want that to only go higher, because that is where we are able to secure a sustained market. So we just want to recognise the people who are doing well, and this will encourage those looking on to strive to be the next winner; and that is intended to bring our service level in the industry to an all new high,” the Executive Director added.

The semi-finalists for the individual category are Kevin Spence, Senior Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Technician, Beaches Negril; Judy Henry Richards, Beaches Resort – Ocho Rios; Shanique Cunningham, Assistant Elite Services Manager, Sandals Royal – Montego Bay; Janette Kaloo, Wedding and Events Coordinator, Sunset Resorts and Villas – South Coast; Lennox Williams, Golden Eye Hotel – Ocho Rios; Winston Jones, Pool and Beach Butler, Hyatt Ziva – Montego Bay; Hopeton Powell, Craft Trader, Olde Craft Market – Ocho Rios; Michelle Sterling, Resort Representative, Amstar DMC – Montego Bay; Romaine Meggo, Sandals Negril; and Mikhailla Robinson, Assistant Food and Beverage Manager, The Jamaica Pegasus – Kingston.

The semi-finalists for the organisation category are Chukka Caribbean Adventures – Montego Bay; The Judy House – Negril; Island Car Rentals – Kingston; Sandals Royal Plantation – Ocho Rios; Beaches Negril Resort; The Courtleigh Hotel and Suites – Kingston; Hyatt Ziva/Hyatt Zilara Resort – Montego Bay; Sandals Negril Resort; Dunn’s River Falls and Park – Ocho Rios; Beaches Ocho Rios and Sandals South Coast.