The world tourism market is more competitive than ever but the Caribbean has an “ace” in its back pocket. This is the view of general manager of Sandals Grande in Antigua and Barbuda, Courtney Miller, who said the genuine warmth of people in the region should be capitalized on, rather than ignored or underestimated.
Speaking to Barbadian journalists during a tour of the property recently, he said Caribbean islands were no longer competing only with each other but with Mexico and the Far East.
“It’s the same amount of travelling public so there are always concerns about individual islands but also as a region of how we represent the kinds of products that we put forward,” he said.
Miller said travellers now wanted more for less and with the advent of varying travel and cooking shows, they were more informed than ever and better able to compare destinations.
“I would think in the next couple of years it’s only going to get more and more that way as information gets out there quicker. The onus is now on us as a region and as a company to make sure that when they’re able to get all of that information, that we stand out, that we are up there with the Far East with service, with product, with amenities,” he said.
Miller said he believed the Caribbean continued to be very competitive because of its people.
“They may have nice beaches like us. They may have fantastic buildings like us but there ain’t no smile like a Caribbean smile. There ain’t no accent like a Caribbean accent and there ain’t no party like a Caribbean party. Whichever island you go to . . . we carry a certain warmth about us,” he said.
The general manager noted that service in the Far East was often “calculated” rather than warm.
“I think going forward that’s our ace card. That’s what we need to capitalise on, understanding who we are and delivering it better than anyone else can,” he said.
As for how Sandals has managed to compete with other resorts, Miller said the company emphasised service and staff training.
So much so, that it formed the Sandals Corporate University about two years ago. The professional learning institution has partnered with both regional and international training bodies.
“We’re creating a pathway for any individual who comes in here who has the attitude and aptitude . . . . If you start as a steward, we’re providing the learning tools for you to move from that to becoming a general manager, a director within the organisation. From basic literacy training all the way up to earning your doctorate and these are fully accredited courses,” he said. (NB)?