Tourism Training Canada:
A Small Firm Takes on Big IDB Projects

As global competition for a demanding customer base increases, countries and tourism operators around the world are committing themselves to improving hospitality human resource development. A case in point is the Caribbean Tourism Credentialing Program (CTCP), a multi-year, multi-million dollar regional program jointly funded by the Caribbean Hotel Association and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). In order to increase the international competitiveness of the hospitality and tourism workforce in the Caribbean, CTCP launched regional credentialing and certification programs for employees, in January 2003. These systems were developed and implemented over two years by Tourism Training Canada, a small Edmonton-based firm.

Tourism Training Canada (TTC) works with its partners and clients to adapt Canada's extensive tourism human resources expertise for implementation in other countries. As the international representative of the Canadian Tourism Human Resource Council, the firm provides its experience to a variety of international development and tourism projects. Examples include the delivery of management information systems; evaluation and tracking systems; and electronic labour exchange programs that assist students, career-seekers and professionals in the tourism sector in making employment decisions.

When TTC found out about opportunities with the Caribbean Tourism Credentialing Program in 1997, the team wasted no time following up. "We researched the projects that were in development, and contacted key people at the IDB and the executing agencies," says Marcela Mandeville, Project and Marketing Manager with TTC. "Three years later, we submitted a successful expression of interest and later a proposal that won the first part of an IDB-funded contract, worth $154,000."

Working closely with industry and education stakeholders throughout the Caribbean, TTC designed, developed and implemented a credentialing system for professional recognition in the tourism industry. The system evaluates tourism workers by verifying their previous work and volunteer experience, education, professional development activities and skills. The countries involved in the program are Barbados, Bahamas, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago and the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States, comprising Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

After two more cycles of expressions of interest and proposals, CTCP subsequently awarded a second contract worth $320,000 to TTC, in 2002, to create a sustainable industry-driven system that would register, assess and certify trainees and employees. Some 30 Canadian and Caribbean consultants were hired by TTC to develop and validate the system. In a field-test conducted between May and August 2002, more than 300 industry professionals from seven Caribbean countries registered to obtain certification in 43 different occupations.

Although the CTCP assignment did not generate much profit due to high development costs, it was beneficial in other ways.. "We gained valuable experience and a positive reputation with the IDB and stakeholders in the Caribbean region," says Mandeville. "Now our team is building on these accomplishments to develop ideas for other projects."

More recently, in December 2002, TTC completed a project to strengthen the capacity of the Caribbean Tourism Human Resource Council. It was funded by the Commonwealth Secretariat, which supports sustainable development activities in the 54 Commonwealth countries. The firm's activities included designing a regional information facility for human resources; developing a strategic plan for the Council; and facilitating a workshop with education and industry partners.

TTC had previously carried out a project, backed by the IDB, for the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association, in partnership with Hickling Corporation and X-Wave Solutions. This entailed the delivery of a multi-functional Management Information System designed to facilitate human resources development and to handle data regarding providers of tourism and related services in Jamaica. The system was successfully launched in March, 2000.

As a key player in yet another IDB-funded venture, TTC trained a technical team from CONOCER (the Mexican Council for Labour Standards and Competency Certification) and Grupo Posadas (one of Mexico's largest hotel chains). This project involved the development of evaluation and certification tools based on Mexican standards for guest services functions in hotels. During the proposal development stage, TTC made good use of the services of Canada's trade commissioners in Mexico City, whose assistance included providing the names of potential local subcontractors.

With a team of just three full-time employees and a handful of consultants, TTC has successfully completed a variety of major projects worldwide. In Malaysia, for example, the firm developed a series of short, interactive workshops called Responsible Tourism Training, designed to foster sustainable tourism practices that minimize negative environmental and cultural impact. In Chile, TTC provided training and consulting advice for a CIDA-supported project to develop occupational standards and certification for the Chilean tourism industry.

Export Financing Division, DFAIT
Tel.: (613) 995-7251
E-mail: ifinet@international.gc.ca

Marcela Mandeville
Project and Marketing Manager
Tourism Training Canada
Tel.: (780) 421-4318
E-mail: m.mandeville@ttwc.ca
Internet: www.ttwc.ca

Publication date: 2003/05/30