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COLE BAY--The St. Maarten Tourist Bureau and Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) jointly launched a week-long training programme called “The successful taxi driver workshop†on Monday at the Carl & Sons conference facilities in Cole Bay.
Some 22 taxi drivers were present for the start of the workshop, and will have to attend every eight-hour-daily course up to Friday in order to successfully complete the workshop.
The workshop provided is targeted to the workers because of their close and frequent contact with tourists, and their position to form a first impression. The Bureau says that they are considered to be the backbone of the tourism economy, and tourism ambassadors to St. Maarten.
They were welcomed Monday morning by Bureau representatives including Interim Director Augustus Priest, and were given presentations by Head of Inspections at the Ministry of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunication (TEATT) Lucien Wilson and CTO Regional Human Resource Development Consultant Sharon Banfield-Bovell who will conduct the rest of the workshop.
TEATT Minister Claret Connor who would have provided an opening word, was unavailable due to another urgent appointment but will try to address the group at another time.
Wilson kicked off the programme with need-to-know practical information for effectively and legally doing business as a driver, including application requirements, vehicle inspection, minimum insurance requirements, prohibitions and obligations.
The remainder of the workshop, by Banfield-Bovell, focuses on customer service and delivering a quality product. This includes do’s and don’ts, case studies, business and tourism insights, as well as tips on maintaining a positive attitude, dealing with cultural differences, developing effective commentaries as tour guides, and creating a personal action plan.
