The Government of Saint Lucia through the Department of Tourism, has been tasked with Tourism Certification as one of the Department’s functions under the Tourism Development Act No. 1 of 2024. Tourism Certification was designed to focus on industry-wide compliance with minimum standards for not only health and safety, but also for quality, crisis resilience, environment and climate responsiveness.
Therefore, in an effort to support competitiveness on the world stage, ensure industry resilience in the face of future crisis and climate change, protect livelihoods in Saint Lucia, assure visitors, industry workers and residents of health, safety and quality tourism products and services; the Department of Tourism has prioritized the need to develop and maintain interventions for health and safety and to ensure that internationally accepted tourism service, facility and product standards are consistently applied across the industry and monitored accordingly.
The prioritization of Tourism Certification is reflected in tourism policy and legislation, which sets out to build an inclusive, resilient and sustainable tourism sector and to increase the global competitiveness of Saint Lucia’s destination products, services and experiences. As such, tourism operators are required to be certified to ensure that the required standards are met and that they are compliant with the local laws and can deliver the service promised through tourism marketing.
In conformance with tourism policy and specifically in providing quality assurance to support the competitiveness of Saint Lucia’s tourism products and services, the Department of Tourism created a Quality Assurance & Certification Services Unit and now seeks to contract qualified and experienced individuals to serve as the Inspectorate and carry out the functions of the Unit.
THE ROLE:
The Quality Assurance & Certification Inspector (the Inspector) will be responsible for providing support to the Quality Assurance and Certification Unit to carry out audits to ensure the attainment of standards for the sectors of tourism as outlined in the Tourism Development Act No. 1 of 2024. The Inspector shall provide services to administer and obtain compliance with the minimum tourism standards for each sub-sector as per the regulations and policy of the Department of Tourism.
QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE:
An Associate’s Degree with at least ten (10) years demonstrated experience in Human Resources; Organisational Management, Business Administration, National Security, Management, Public Policy, Research; Tourism, Hospitality, Project Management or a related field; OR
An Diploma with at least fifteen (15) years demonstrated experience in Human Resources; Organisational Management, Business Administration, National Security, Management, Public Policy, Research; Tourism, Hospitality, Project Management or a related field; OR
Minimum of twenty (20) years of professional experience in Human Resources; Organisational Management, Business Administration, National Security, Management, Public Policy, Research; Tourism, Hospitality, Project Management or a related field;
In addition, the successful candidate must possess:
Successful track record working at a supervisory decision-making level;
Experience in reporting to governance bodies; and
Experience in coordinating research initiatives.
A satisfactory Certificate of Character;
Two (2) character references from management level at the last place of employment; and
Experience using analytical, investigative and research skills.
REPORTING:
The Quality Assurance & Certification Inspector reports directly to the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Tourism. with delegated technical reporting to the Quality Assurance and Certification Consultant.
KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES:
(i) Support the facilitation of tourism certification processes according to legislation;
(ii) Enter the premises of a tourism operator/establishment to conduct inspections;
(iii) Inspect the premises to certify a tourism establishment/product/service according to the minimum standards established for the tourism sector (sub-sectors);
(iv) Conduct investigations of a tourism establishment, product or service in respect to complaints of alleged reports and violations from visitors (local and foreign) and other parties;
(v) Monitor compliance of tourism operators with the requirements and obligations for certification imposed under the Tourism Development Act No. 1 of 2024 and the regulations in respect of tourism establishments;
(vi) Conduct inspections and site visits to assess the compliance to minimum standards for key tourism sectors and sub-sectors as assigned; (vii)Issue notices to tourism operators;
(viii)Prepare Tourism Standards and Compliance Reports in accordance with the authorized inspection forms and regulations. Reports should contain recommendations or corrective actions to be taken;
(ix) Provide, within such time as the Department of Tourism may direct, a copy of the Tourism Standards and Compliance Reports to the Department and to the operator of the establishment, product or service;
(x) Support the preparation of follow up correspondence to tourism operators regarding issues observed and the recommendation and/or corrective actions as per the Tourism Standards and Compliance Reports;
(xi) Assist in the review and update of tourism industry standards and quality assurance as part of the standards and certification;
(xii) Conduct spot checks to tourism establishments to determine gaps in service delivery and quality;
(xiii)Facilitate stakeholder sign-on to the developed standards and certifications;
(xiv)Assist in identifying training and other related needs to support industry operators in meeting the set standards and certification schemes; (xv)Monitor industry adherence to standards and certification and, in so doing ensure that tourism operators comply with identified operating practices as required by law;
(xvi)Support tourism research and provide input to inform quality assurance and certification decision-making for tourism sustainability and competitiveness;
(xvii)Support the Saint Lucia Tourism Awards and recognition programs, tourism classification, quality assurance programs, sustainable tourism, risk resilience and climate responsiveness as part of inspection, auditing and reporting services;
(xviii)Support the Unit in managing complaints and product improvement and the provision of support for any visitor crisis or negative unforeseen event
For consideration, qualified applicants should submit their resume to mintourismslu@govt.lc
Applications should be submitted no later than April 26, 2024. Only suitably qualified applications will be acknowledged.