GREEN Tourism Solomon Islands Ltd (GTSIL) has kicked off a five days high impact tourism training programme for small and medium tourism operators this week in Taro, Choiseul Province.
The high impact tourism training was made possible by the South Pacific Tourism Organization (SPTO) based in Suva, Fiji, and the EU funded PRTCBP (Pacific Region Tourism Capacity Building Programme) for human resources development in member countries including Solomon Islands.
Green Tourism Solomon Islands also applied to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism for funding assistance under the EU funded SI-TIDE programme to support other components of its high impact tourism training programme for 2015.
Like other tourism operators that applied, Green Tourism Solomon Islands is waiting for results from the Ministry.
Under the terms of the service contract signed with SPTO this month, Green Tourism Solomon Islands will conduct ten high impact tourism training workshops at six locations in four provinces from March to October this year.
These workshops are practical-oriented with 80% of the training hours per day spent on group work and projects.
Green Tourism will also submit workshop, course evaluation, and acquittal reports to SPTO as required under the service contract.
The major goal of the high impact tourism training is to transfer life skills that will empower women and girls raise the welfare of their families, and improve or add value to the services they provide at the family eco-lodge or guest house.
These basic services include food preparation and presentation, housekeeping duties, outdoor beautification, interior decoration, souvenir t-shirts and dyed lavalava, and customer services.
Green Tourism believes this holistic approach is the key to developing tourism in the country’s rural areas where 80% of people, tourism properties and activities, natural and historical attractions, and potential for tourism growth are located.
Speaking from Taro yesterday Green Tourism Ltd Managing Director, Michael Tokuru said, the training starts this morning and should end Friday.
“Training will start tomorrow (today) and will end on Friday followed with awarding the participants certificates.
“About 41 women’s and tourism operators from Taro, nearby villages and Kariki Shortland Island in Western Province will be attending the training,” Mr Tokuru said.
Meanwhile Mr Tokuru thanked Choiseul Provincial Government and Tourism Operators in Taro for welcoming the GTSIL to carry out its program in the province.
The next province GTSIL will conduct similar program was in Tulagi, Central Island Province in two weeks time.
By DENVER NEWTER
