Jamaica
News - Real Estate - Sports
Source: JIS, March 2, 2007)
Homeowners Ready for Cricket World Cup
Some 215 homeowners have received certificates of
participation for completing the Bed and Breakfast Home Stay (BBHS) training
programme, which was facilitated by the Tourism Product Development Company (TPDCo),
as part of programmes implemented for the ICC Cricket World Cup.
The awards ceremony was held at the Knutsford
Court Hotel in Kingston on February 27.
The 20-hour training programme included lessons
in: Food Handler's Procedures, Fire Prevention and Precautions, Customer Service
and Security Alertness.
By completing the course, persons are now
registered to be hosts for the BBHS programme, which refers to sleeping
accommodation for at least one night with breakfast in a private home and with
no more than four available bedrooms for compensation.
The primary purpose of the programme is to
provide additional rooms, other than the regular hotel, for the tourism sector
to accommodate the visitors for the ICC Cricket World Cup, which Jamaica will
host in another few days.
Additionally, the programme will offer
opportunities for both visitors and Jamaicans, as the guests will become exposed
to the island's culture, traditions and history, while the hosts of the
programme will be able to develop their own business and generate income by
sharing their homes.
Some 225 'Bed and Breakfast' facilities are
currently registered and have been uploaded on the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB)
and the Cricket World Cup websites, to inform interested visitors of the areas
that would be available under the BBHS programme.
In her address at the awards function,
Minister of Tourism, Entertainment and Culture, Aloun Assamba noted that,
"this new dimension to the accommodation sub-sector will render Jamaica
even more attractive by adding a new layer of affordability", adding that
the programme also enhances Jamaica's reputation "as one of the most
diverse destinations on the face of the earth".
"The programme captures the essence of who
we really are as Jamaicans.a warm, hospitable people, who are always willing to
open our hearts and homes, not only to friends and family, but to total
strangers, who we often charm into becoming members of our extended
family," the Minister added.
Mrs. Assamba pointed out that although the
programme was launched for Cricket World Cup, it would remain a part of
Jamaica's accommodation offering and would "be sustained for all times to
meet the economic needs of all Jamaicans who want to participate in Tourism in
this way".
Meanwhile, 57 hackney carriage operators were
also awarded at the ceremony on completion of training in tourism awareness and
customer service.
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