Twelve CTA partners have completed the Community Tourism Basic Training Programme

On Thursday, 7th August 2025, the Community Tourism Agency (CTA) celebrated the graduation of twelve (12) community tourism business owners, comprising the second and third cohorts from the Accommodation and Recreation sectors, who successfully completed the Community Tourism Basic Training Programme, delivered by the Sir Arthur Lewis Community College (SALCC).

This milestone reflects the tangible results of the strategic Memorandum of Understanding between the CTA and SALCC, created to equip Saint Lucians with the tools and skills to lead in tourism. It aligns with the CTA’s mission to ensure Saint Lucians are no longer observers but architects of the industry, active participants building enterprises, shaping experiences, and owning outcomes.

Addressing the graduates, the CTA’s Chief Executive Officer, Ms. Dahlia Guard, called the occasion “deeply significant,” highlighting that while Saint Lucia’s landscapes are breathtaking, it is the spirit of its people, the stories, culture, and hospitality, that truly defines its global competitiveness. She stressed that the programme is not “training for training’s sake” but about building capacity that leads to ownership of businesses, ideas, and
the future of tourism.

The programme covered foundational topics like Sustainable Tourism, Customer Service, Risk Assessment, Safety Protocols, Marketing, and Health Practices. Sector-specific modules included Safety, Hygiene, and Housekeeping for Accommodation participants, and Site and Attraction Management, Cultural and Heritage Management, Interpretive Design, Operational Management, and Visitor Services for Recreation participants. The CTA expresses sincere gratitude to SALCC for its ongoing partnership and commitment to excellence. This collaboration exemplifies the impact of aligning academia with community development.

Congratulations to all graduates on this defining milestone. Whether launching a business, expanding an idea, or supporting your community, you are now part of a powerful movement reshaping Saint Lucia’s tourism sector, ensuring every Saint Lucian has a place, a voice, and a stake in its future.