Staff from the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism offices around the world underwent three weeks of intense training to complete a Sales and Marketing Certificate Programme designed especially for the ministry in conjunction with Nova Southeastern University.

The programme was created to achieve Minister of Tourism Obie Wilchcombe’s vision for tourism employees; to be prepared to build a foundation so that they would achieve the objectives and the goals of the ministry.

Last week Minister Wilchcombe addressed the participants of the programme during a closing exercise where they received certificates at SuperClubs Breezes.

He told the newly certified workers that they were not hired to fill extra seats.

“We brought you in because you have a role to play and we are going to give you an opportunity to play that role,” the tourism minister said.

The minister explained that they were the second group to complete the programme and the first group that underwent the training are now playing a major role in the redevelopment of the ministry.

The programme, he said, was designed for the participants to become leaders in the ministry.

“The plan was to recognise individuals who have had what we call the wherewithal to become leaders of the industry,” Minister Wilchcombe said.

“We provide the opportunity and the training group place them in the right positions so that they can perform. You now will be the new examples we will be looking to. The Ministry of Tourism’s productivity has increased and it has increased because of training. It was evident in the last year and it will continue to improve.”

He explained that the ministry is undergoing a transition period and will continue working with Nova Southeastern University to help achieve its goals.

The members of the executive team provided feedback and questions after each group presented.

The minister congratulated them for articulating a vision for the ministry that will move it forward.

“I believe that you did something that was so important because when people talk to us about the unemployment levels of our country, my response is very simple,” he said.

“The only thing unemployed are the minds of our people. If we employ the minds we would get more from our people. That is what you were doing. Your minds were employed. You were thinking; you were delivering thoughts and ideas of where we can go as a ministry and as a country. You do not have the luxury of only thinking of the ministry. You have to think the whole Bahamas from Inagua to Bimini.”

Minister Wilchcombe told the participants that tourism will be the country’s main industry for many years to come, however it also faces stiff competition from other countries in the region.

“Countries that did not embrace tourism before in the Caribbean are now embracing tourism. Those countries are now talking about how well they are doing,” he said.

He also noted that there were 1.3 billion tourists travelling to destinations around the world and that number will grow according to the World Tourism Organisation between four to five per cent this year.

“That tells us that people want to move and they want to interface with other countries and their peoples,” the tourism minister said.

“Other countries are looking at The Bahamas as a model, but The Bahamas has more to offer and it begins with the basics and getting Bahamians, ready for the game. You cannot win a championship unless you have the players to play the championship game. To play in the championship, you have to prepare your people and you have got to train your people. You also have to make sure that the people you have recruited and trained can execute.”

Dr. John Riggs, Assistant Professor of Marketing at Nova Southeastern University also gave an overview of the programme.