The BahamaHost program is a certified course designed to establish a culture of service excellence and professionalism which results in delightful guest experiences, repeat business, and global recognition. This program is a training initiative designed to improve the efficiency of organizations and service professionals in the tourism sector. As BahamaHost taps into many areas such as talent development, education, skills training, attitudinal training, and customer relations workshops, the program seeks to draw Bahamians to their inherent cultural values while at the same time promoting the spirit of service excellence in and out of the industry. In addition, the program serves as a foundation for all other industry training initiatives, and it is used to facilitate helping companies and organizations maintain the standards of the industry's brand.
Since its creation in 1978, over fifty thousand Bahamians have become qualified BahamaHost ambassadors. The BahamaHost program has been the Ministry of Tourism’s signature training initiative. In 2009, the program was rebranded with the assistance of the University of The Bahamas and local training consultants to better meet the needs of the ever-changing and ever-evolving tourism and hospitality industry here in The Bahamas. In 2018, during the 40th Anniversary, the program was rebranded once again to meet the needs of a changing industry. The newly rebranded program is a forty (40) hour program consisting of five Modules: Proud to Be Bahamian, Tourism Today, The Bahamian Service Experience, and The Global Impact and Empowerment.
Module 1 – Proud to be Bahamian.
Proud to be a Bahamian lay the groundwork and delve into our rich and exciting history, civics, and culture. It is intended to give our participants insight into the geography of The Bahamas, our unique features, and what The Bahamas has to offer.
Module 2 – Tourism Today
Tourism Today connects the history of The Bahamas to the historical overview of the Tourism industry then and now. The units focus on tourism stakeholders, the various sectors that tourism is divided into, and the benefits of tourism to the Bahamian economy. It exposes participants to how we market The Bahamas and the importance of guarding our heritage and ensuring the safety and security of our nation.
Module 3 – The Bahamian Service Experience
The Bahamian Service Experience seeks to leave magical and memorable experiences in the hearts of our guests. It showcases why we say, “It’s Better in The Bahamas” and allows participants to not only create but own the guest experience. Emphasis is placed on how to properly communicate, solve problems, display ethical behavior, and effective leadership, and foster teamwork among ourselves and by extension, our guests.
Module 4 – The Global Impact
The Global Impact creates an in-depth understanding between people from various cultural backgrounds and exposes participants to customer diversity by; knowing who our customers are, understanding the aspects of cross-culture, and how to promote clear lines of communication to engage our diverse customers.
Module 5 – Empowerment: Capacity Building for the Professional
Empowerment speaks directly to you - the participants. This module seeks to develop personal skills relating to SMART goal setting, personalizing your brand, and maintaining positive mental and physical health.
The workshops are tailored to teach to the needs of the industry and upon successful completion each participant receives certification credentials and becomes BahamaHost certified.