The Tourism Product Development Company (TPDCO) is working to regularise the operations of local tourist businesses in the parish of Portland. A recent meeting was held with the various stakeholders to discuss the process in carrying out this action.
TPDCO works with local tourism associations to ensure that they are operating at the highest standards.
” So the coxswain licence, the lifeguard training, after this we will move to the Team Jamaica training which is our flagship programme at TPDCO. In the tourism industry, you need that certification especially when you’re licensing, ” he said.
According to Mr White Wong from TPDCO, the meetings are drivers for improvement in the tourism sector.
” The only way that future can happen is if you guys keep doing what you doing in terms of following the regulations and behaving. Customer Service is the key. You can’t have people smoking weed and talking to the tourists. Just a while ago the marine police noticed a vessel coming in with no life jacket on the vessel,” he pointed out.
Also present at the meeting were members of the Portland police division encouraging those present to adhere to the prescribed guidelines for operating in the parish.
“You have an opportunity, a protective area to operate in,” he added
In response to this, the local tourism associations from the Blue Lagoon and Alligator Head Foundation made a commitment to conform to the highest standards.
KHADIJAH THOMAS
