The Tribune

By DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

FOUR hundred BahamaHost graduates received their certification on Tuesday evening and are now official tourism ambassadors for the Bahamas.

Travis Robinson, parliamentary secretary in the Ministry of Tourism, commended the graduates and welcomed them in joining the thousands of other certified BahamaHost graduates throughout the country.

"Graduates, do not take your certification for granted," he said, explaining that tourism is the country's "bread and butter."

"We are getting ready… to return to number one (as a tourism destination) where we should be," said Mr Robinson as he delivered the keynote address to guests attending the graduation ceremony at Calvary Temple Church in Freeport.

The graduating group consists of 415 public service drivers, immigration officers, and other professionals.

"Every single one of these graduates has joined the fold of thousands of BahamaHost graduates in the country; you have taken up the mantle to be ambassadors for us. To be our partners in the Straw Market, hotels, hospital, ports, and at the fish fry - you are our brand; they see you. But in seeing you, you got to be ready to deliver quality customer service," he said.

He said the Bahamas used to be the number one tourism destination. He said the country has survived off the tourism industry for the past 44 years.

"We as a country and as a nation used to be number one. Graduates, today I am hopeful because more and more persons are understanding the importance of what we call our "bread and butter". "They say we need to diversify our economy, but we need to diversify tourism first. We need to master what we have - that is customer service," said Mr Robinson.

The MP assured residents in Grand Bahama the government is working overtime to see how it can get the island back on its feet.

Expressing optimism, he said: "Things will turn around, it will turn around," followed by applause from the audience.

Betty Bethel, director of tourism in Grand Bahama, said the island is in a state of emergency, but the government is working feverishly to turn it around.

She stressed the importance of delivering excellent customer service.

"We must improve service delivery - making it interesting, entertaining and professional," she said.

She commended the Ministry of Tourism's team which oversees the BahamaHost programme.

"I would like to thank Karenda Swain and her team for another successful BahamaHost session for 415 (graduates)," she said.