P J Patterson calls for Caribbean assistance in rebuilding Africa’s tourism industry
Former Prime Minister P J Patterson calls on the Caribbean to provide technical support and training to African countries to help them rebuild their tourism industry, emphasizing the importance of continuous training in the sector. He believes that Jamaica and the Caribbean’s expertise in developing institutions for tourism training can assist in creating a framework to support African tourism.
In his address at the University of the West Indies Regional Headquarters at the Global Tourism Resilience Conference, former Prime Minister P J Patterson urged the Caribbean to offer technical support and training to African countries to assist them in rebuilding their tourism industry.
Patterson emphasized that the tourism industry has always prioritized continuous training and retraining of the workforce to address the needs of travellers. Despite the prolonged period of lockdowns and travel restrictions, the COVID-19 pandemic has increased pressure on the sector.
Patterson further noted that the skill sets required to advance the industry necessitate prompt and intensive training. He mentioned that Jamaica and the Caribbean have a strong history of developing institutions to train the workforce in tourism. As a result, they can support their African colleagues through technical training in countries presently rebuilding or expanding their tourism industry. Patterson, the statesman in residence at the P J Patterson Institute for Africa-Caribbean Advocacy, believes that the Jamaican and Caribbean experience and expertise can assist in developing an institutional framework for training that could support tourism in African continent.
Related Stories
What Will It Take To Succeed In Hotel Sales In 2023? – By Doug Kennedy(Opens in a new browser tab)