SLBS Assures Saint Lucia’s Tourism Product

Tourism is about the visitors’ total experience of the island. From the moment they arrive at the airport to when they enter their hotel room or guesthouse, visitors are gauging their experience of the island by the quality of service that they receive at each point. The quality of that hotel room, villa or guesthouse is an integral part of the visitors’ overall experience. Therefore, assuring the quality of this dimension of the tourism product is vital to a successful industry.
The Saint Lucia Bureau of Standards (SLBS) Tourism Certification Scheme (TCS) provides just such an assurance and on Tuesday the SLBS issued its first TCS Certificate of Conformity for 2008. The proud recipients are Thompson and Penny Charles, owners of The Farmhouse, a guesthouse located in Riviere Doree, Choiseul. This certificate confirms that the property has been certified against the Saint Lucia Publicly Available Specification SL/PAS1:2006: Tourism Services—Requirements for Home Accommodation. The Charleses described acquiring the certification as “an interesting and invaluable experience”.

They said that achieving the certification has given them the confidence that they are offering their guests a quality product and service. They will also be marketing this achievement on their website.
TCS is a third party verification programme aimed at improving the quality and competitiveness of the tourism accommodation sector. Currently, the programme covers only that sector but it has the potential for expansion into other critical sectors of the industry for which national standards have been developed. The Certificate of Conformity is valid for one calendar year. In 2007, the SLBS certified five other properties under the scheme. For further details of the Tourism Certification Scheme and how to apply, contact the SLBS at 435-0049 or 456-0546/0102.