SUNDAY 4TH OCTOBER, 2015 – UWI TODAY
19
ON TOUR
For further information on studying hospitality and tourism at The UWI, visit
World Tourism Day was celebrated
on September 27
and this year the theme was: 1 Billion Tourists, 1 Billion
Opportunities. In 2014, 412,447 visitors came to Trinidad
and Tobago, contributing TT$4,882 million or 3.2% of
total GDP and employing 27,500 persons, i.e. 4.4% of total
employment (Tourism Development Company Limited
2015; World Travel and Tourism Council 2015).
At The UWI, students can pursue a BSc International
Tourism, BSc Hospitality and Tourism Management (in
partnership with the TTHTI), MSc Tourism Planning
and Development and more recently, a PhD in Business
Administration with a specialization in Hospitality and
Tourism.
And what better way to study and learn about
hospitality and tourism than to travel the world and
experience it first-hand!
That’s exactly what the students of the Department of
Management Studies have been doing for the past eight
years, accompanied by lecturers, Dr. Acolla Lewis-Cameron
andmyself, with financial support from the Department, the
Faculty of Social Sciences, corporate sponsors and students’
fundraisers.
So far, we have visited St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the
Grenadines, Curaçao, Mexico, Margarita Island, Jamaica,
The Bahamas (on a Carnival Cruise Line) and Cuba.
In March, as part of the Final Year Hospitality and
Tourism Field Trip, 25 undergraduate and postgraduate
students visited the Dutch Caribbean island of Curacao in
order to learn about tourism development in that country
and to see if there are any best practices that can be applied
to Trinidad and Tobago.
By staying at the Sunscape Resort, Spa & Casino, we
were able to critically examine the all-inclusive concept
and have fun at the same time! Scheduled presentations
by the Curacao Tourist Board, as well as visits to sites
and attractions such as the Sea Aquarium, the Floating
Market and Hato Caves helped us to appreciate destination
management, the need for quality customer service, as well
tourism product development that enhances the overall
visitor experience. Olivia said that “the ability of the locals
to speak several languages is impressive. This is an asset to
a tourism destination since it makes it simpler for locals
and tourists to communicate.” Kadesha commented that
“The ability to maintain the traditional architecture in the
capital, Willemstad, is an outstanding feature of Curacao. In
Hospitality and Tourism students on the move
A billion opportunities with sugar cake, barfi, tamarind balls, fudge and kurma
B Y L E S L I E - A N N J O R D A N - M I L L E R
keeping with such traditions, it helps to share the history and
heritage of the island with its visitors. Such a practice should
be followed in T&T to avoid losing our unique attractions”.
Next, from August 3-17, nine students were selected
to participate in a Sustainable Tourism Exchange
Programme organized by LecturerWendy Fehlner (a fellow
Trinbagonian!) from the Department of Tourism, Baden-
Württemberg Cooperative State University, Lörrach (South
West region of Germany) and her husband Dr. Gert Fehlner
from Freiburg University.
The Programme involved a well packed, exciting 10-
day stay in Germany, where we learnt on site about best
practices in the area of sustainable tourism in Germany.
We had a good taste of German culture as well as a touch of
France and Switzerland. The formal lectures, cross cultural
exchanges, food and visits to a wide variety of different types
of sites and attractions proved very useful in expanding
our understanding of sustainable tourism. It was also very
encouraging to see the genuine bonds that were immediately
formed between the students – this really demonstrates
one of the most powerful positive socio-cultural impacts of
tourism. We were also able to give the Germans a literal taste
of Trinidad and Tobago as we carried with us sugar cake,
barfi, tamarind balls, fudge, kurma and even pholourie mix!
Devana described this once in a lifetime trip as “one
of the most profound learning experiences I have ever
had.” Elizabeth said, “This experience has taught me more
than I imagined about the inseparability of the people,
the environment and the economy in building sustainable
tourism,” and Sabita said, “highlights for me included
the tour of the Black Forest Nature Conservation Centre,
understanding why protecting the environment is important
and how it is done in Feldberg; as well as having a fun filled
time at the Europa Park.”We must say “danke schön” (thank
you) to the Trinidad and Tobago National Lotteries Control
Board (NLCB) for their kind sponsorship of this trip – we
would not have been able to visit Germany so soon without
their financial support!
We found chocolate made in Trinidad in a souvenir shop in Geneva, Switzerland.
PHOTOS COURTESY DR LESLIE-ANN JORDAN-MILLER.
The UWI Hospitality and Tourism Group on an Island tour in Willemstad, Curacao.
With the German students on Mount Feldberg in the Black Forest, Germany
