(DHTA) In preparation for the reopening of the borders, health and safety guidelines have been developed for the tourism & hospitality industry to help guide service providers to keep guests, employees and the local community safe from risks, and to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.
Training is an integral component for the successful implementation and maintenance of these guidelines and to keep visitors and employees safe. It is mandated that all tourism service providers be trained in proper health and safety protocols to ensure safe operations in a COVID-19 environment. Consequently, Discover Dominica Authority will host a series of training and sensitization programs in collaboration with the Environmental Health Department as well as regional and international organizations such as Caribbean Public Health Agency and Pan American Health Organization.
The Tourism Health and Safety Training Series kicked off on July 2, 2020. Twenty-seven (27) Airport Taxi Service Providers were trained in the areas of:
- COVID-19 Causes and Symptoms
- Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) Personal Protection, including use of face covering and other personal protective equipment (PPE)
- The cleaning, sanitizing, and disinfecting practices for tourism vehicles
- Guidelines for Tourism Taxi Service Providers.
The session was a joint effort of the Discover Dominica Authority, Environmental Health Department and Dominica Fire & Ambulance Services. In anticipation of the reopening of the country’s borders, the training series will ensure service providers are aware of “All Things COVID-19” to mitigate emotional consequences which may negatively impact the delivery of the tourism service.
In the upcoming weeks additional training sessions will he held with taxi service providers who operate at the cruise ports, as well as with tour guides, craft and souvenir vendors, hair braiders, tour operators, hoteliers and their staff and water sports providers.
