With Saturday’s territorywide cleanup by volunteers working in conjunction with the Tourism Department fast approaching, the department announced its schedule and locations where volunteers should report. The cleanup is part of the annual National Travel and Tourism Week that runs from May 4 through 12.
"Cleaning up our islands is an important act that will confirm the strong pride that lives within our community," Tourism Commissioner Beverly Nicholson Doty said in a press release. "We ask the community to come out and support this initiative to help keep our islands clean for everyone to enjoy."
The cleanup runs from 7 to 11 a.m. at a dozen locations on St. Thomas, St. Croix and St. John. Volunteers will be provided a T-shirt, gloves and drinking water in a reusable bottle.
In the interest of safety, the minimum age requirement for participation in the cleanup is 14.
On St. Thomas, volunteers will meet at Emancipation Garden to clean up downtown Charlotte Amalie; at the Tourism Department office opposite Nisky Moravian Church to clean up the Subbase/airport areas; at Yacht Haven Grande welcome center to clean up along Long Bay Road; at the Smith Bay Business Center rear parking lot to clean up the Smith Bay area; at the V.I. National Park dock in Red Hook to clean up the Red Hook area; and in Iggie’s parking lot at Bolongo Bay Beach Resort to clean up the Bolongo and Bovoni areas.
On St. Croix, meet at Buddhoe Emancipation Park in Frederiksted to clean up in Frederiksted; at the Vincent Mason Pool in Frederiksted to clean up the Frederiksted beachfront; at Sunday Market Square in Christiansted to clean up Christiansted; and at West Airport Road across from Enfield Green to clean up Airport Road.
On St. John, meet at the Tourism Department’s visitor center next to the post office to clean up Cruz Bay and at the Coral Bay Fire Station to clean up Coral Bay.
The cleanups are part of events scheduled to address island cleanliness and customer service. This year’s theme "Let’s Clean Up Our Act!" calls on everyone to put their best foot forward to make the territory a better place to live and to visit, the Tourism Department suggested in its press release.
In keeping with the theme of "cleaning up our act," the department will also focus on customer service. Free customer service workshops will be held in St. Croix on May 7 and 8 and on St. Thomas on May 9 and 10.
Conducted by professional service trainer Bryan Williams, the workshops will focus on world-class service delivery including special sessions for managers and supervisors, taxi operators and airport personnel.
"As members of a tourism-based community, providing exceptional customer service is essential to the success of our destination and our future prosperity," Doty said. "Equally important is the level of service we provide each other as residents of the Virgin Islands, which is why we encourage the public at large to participate in the workshops and help make the USVI a more hospitable place for all of us."
The workshop schedule begins May 7 at the University of the Virgin Islands Great Hall on St. Croix. Customer contact employees meet from 9:30 to 11 a.m. with another similar session from 12:30 to 2 p.m. Managers and supervisors are scheduled for 2:30 to 4 p.m.
On May 8, the workshop will be held at Henry E. Rohlsen Airport lounge on St. Croix. Taxi operators meet from 8:30 to 10 a.m., with airport personnel meeting from 10:30 a.m. to noon.
On St. Thomas, the workshop is scheduled May 9 at the V.I. Port Authority conference room. Airport personnel will meet from 9 to 10:30 a.m.
The workshop moves May 10 to the UVI Administrative and Conference Center on St. Thomas. Customer contact employees meet from 10 to 11:30 a.m. with a similar session also scheduled from 1 to 2:30 p.m. Managers and supervisors are scheduled from 3 to 4:30 p.m. with taxi operators meeting from 5 to 6:30 p.m.
On St. John, customer contact employees will meet from 5 to 6:30 p.m. May 9 at Julius E. Sprauve School auditorium.
Other activities taking place during National Tourism Week include school visits to speak with students about customer service, the importance of tourism and the need to keep our islands clean. Tourism Department representatives will reinforce these messages during interviews planned on local radio programs.
Throughout the month of May the department will also run a television advertising campaign promoting its customer service pledge, a commitment the territory’s employees and businesses can make to improve the level of service they provide their customers.
To take the pledge, go to www.usviservicepledge.com. For more information about National Tourism Week activities, call 340-774-8784.
To sign up for the cleanup, call 340-774-8784 on St. Thomas, 340-776-6450 on St. John and 772-0357 on St. Croix.
To register for the workshops on St. Thomas/St. John, contact Canika John at 340-774-8784 or ccjohn@usvitourism.vi. For the St. Croix workshops, contact Carlotta Luis at 340-772-0357 or caluis@usvitourism.vi.
