The Gimies – Inaugural Saint Lucia Tourism Awards Launched
On the backdrop of a slew of accolades rewarding the country for its excellence in the tourism sector, the Ministry of Tourism (MoT in collaboration with the Saint Lucia Tourism Authority (SLTA) and the Saint Lucia Hospitality and Tourism Association (SLHTA) are elated to announce the inaugural Saint Lucia Tourism Awards.
Earmarked for February 25th 2023 to be hosted at the Royalton Resort, the Awards or “Gimies”, will celebrate the contributions of all players in the development and servitude of the industry, under the theme ‘Rethinking Tourism”.
The Award’s name was specifically chosen to emphasize the value placed on the recipients of the awards.
According to the Minister of Tourism, Hon. Dr, Ernest Hilaire, “Mount Gimie stands tall, at over 3,000 ft, the highest peak on the island, that is why we saw it fitting to align our highest award in the tourism sector with the same name…the Gimie!”
He added, ‘Tourism is for all, not for some. Without the hard work and perseverance of our dedicated people, the Tourism Industry would not be where it is today.”
The Gimies will be presented in a red-carpet gala event, to celebrate the unsung heroes who worked assiduously to gain Saint Lucia notoriety worldwide. Thirty will be presented in organizational and individual categories, encompassing a myriad of sections within the industry. Additionally, to ensure the right people are championed in this process, the public will have a major part to play in nominating and voting for the People’s Choice.
Adding to this factor, the Chief Executive Officer of the Saint Lucia Tourism Authority with Lorine Charles-St. Jules stated, “As a leading tourist destination, Saint Lucia has been recognized on the international stage many times over. Now, the country is ready to give back in a formal way, to the organizations and people who made the Helen of the West, soar, to new heights!”
The Awards aim to reward organizations who continuously sustain high levels of excellence in customer service and recognise their staff who surpasses normal service delivery standards. It also seek to establish benchmarks for best practise overall.
In gratitude to the many agencies and people who work within the sector, Executive Director of the SLHTA, Mr. Noorani Azeez applauded the move by the tri-agency planning committee.
He added, “We are beaming at the incredulous levels of service which our people have afforded to the numerous guests who grace our shores every year. Their contributions are the reason why as a destination, Saint Lucia has been so successful in achieving accolade after accolade.”
Additionally, there are opportunities to sponsor the Awards. Be part of the largest awards ceremony in the island’s history.
Main Goals of the Gimies
Reward Organizations – Reward entities that continually achieve sustained levels of excellence in product execution and customer service delivery
Reward Employees – Recognize employees who continue to surpass normal
customer service delivery standards and excel in other aspects of their career;
including the coconut vendor etc
Establish Benchmarks – Award the best in service excellence in order to establish
internal benchmarks for all the categories of business in the sector
Business Practices – Encourage a certain type of organisational behaviour and work
ethic, which includes sustainable and resilient business practices
The Peoples Choice
The general public has an opportunity to choose one individual who has gone above
and beyond in his or her service. Nominations will be open from November 22nd to
November 30th 2022. The public will have an opportunity to vote for the shortlisted
candidates based on the entries. The top three candidates will be chosen based on engagement online, likes, shares and comments. This will make up 50% of the score,
the judging panel will have the opportunity to interview each candidate and provide the 50% balance. All three finalists accompanied by the first person to nominate them will be invited to the ceremony. Visit www.slutourism.govt.lc for more information on the People’s Choice.
The Logo
The actual Award design which depicts the Gimies was conceptualised by world
reknown scultor, designer and son of the soil, Jallim Eudovic.
For more information on The Gimies, visit www.slutourism.govt.lc, Facebook
@SaintluciaMinistryofTourism or email tourismawards@stlucia.org
