Year 6 recently received an invitation from the Turks and Caicos Hotel and Tourism Association, which requested their participation in their Hello Tourist initiative. The Hello Tourist scheme aims to make children more aware of the tourism industry here in the TCI by giving insight into the variety of job opportunities that this growing sector offers; why tourism is important to our islands economy and financial well-being and the need for excellent customer service in order to further promote the facilities and resources accessible here on island.
Accepting the invitation ensured that on the 23rd November all members of Year 6 would be treated like a tourist for the day, in order to gain a better understanding of the hotel and tourism industry. With their passports in hand, Year 6 embarked upon a fun-filled and educational day!
Visiting Gansevoort, Regent Palms, Beaches and Automotive Art left Year 6 flabbergasted! Within these resorts and organisations they were given tours of the properties, shown a variety of rooms and suites available to guests, discussed associated costs and appreciated the different roles performed by employees in order to give tourists the best possible experience while they vacation. Of course, the perks of refreshments and a buffet lunch helped Year 6 give this programme a gold seal of approval!
Speaking to Radio Turks and Caicos, Executive Director of TCHTA, Stacy Cox, said, “The lesson we wanted the kids to take away from this experience is that they can enjoy our destination just like any tourist travelling from overseas do and we wanted to show them how important the tourism product is to the development of the nation.”
Cox added, “Our “Hello Tourist” initiative allowed the students to experience Providenciales through the eyes of a tourist, in the hope that they develop a greater appreciation for the industry and claim it as their own, as they grow to become our future tourism ambassadors. We hope that our “Tourists for a Day” become advocates for the industry and in turn educate their peers about the endless possibilities the sector has to offer. Taking ownership of the industry will see them doing more, like avoiding littering and criminal activity, thus ensuring that the destination remains one of the leading destinations in the region.”
Year 6 wish to thank the Turks and Caicos Hotel and Tourism Association for their generous invitation and also to all of the hotels that participated. The students have definitely been left with a solid understanding of why this sector is important for many families here on island and fully appreciate the need for its conservation.
