PHILIPSBURG:--- The Summit Resort Hotel in Cupecoy, St. Maarten who is celebrating forty years in operation this year, has returned to the Dollar-A-Day (DAD) program and says its guests have always been very happy with the work that has been done on the island through the program.
Summit Resort had underwent some changes about four years ago and during that time the DAD program was not being run at the resort. However, recognizing the significant benefit to the island and the hotel staff, management was happy to restart the program.
The DAD program officially launched by the St. Maarten Hospitality & Trade Association (SHTA) over ten years ago, gives visitors to the island an opportunity to contribute to the Social Development and Hospitality Education on the island.
General Manager for the newly refurbished 26 guest room Resort Hotel Edna "Pat" Evans said "We are really looking forward to participating in the Dollar-A-Day program once again. We are especially pleased with the type of training it provides for our staff."
She said that with much of the upgrade of the facility already done, the focus now is on ensuring that the staff has the proper training they need to enable them to provide excellent customer service to the guests. She said, "Training the staff is something that we see as not only good for the hotel, but for the island in general because the increase in the service level on the island will secure it as being truly the "Friendly Island" and we want to keep it that way."
The staff was also given some basic training on how to promote the DAD program to the guests and they were also given a set of marketing tools to assist them. Through the hotel's participation in the DAD Program the staff can benefit from discounted training and certification programs following the American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute (AHLEI) professional certification curriculum. The SHTA provides on the job training for Front Desk Customer Care, Housekeeping, Security, Maintenance and Food & Beverage staff of their member hotels. Training is also available for Supervisors and Managers. The DAD motto is "give one Dollar-A-Day and make St. Maarten Smile!"
