June 14 was the beginning of a three-day national recruitment drive in partnership with Royal Caribbean Group which was hosted by the Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc.
The event took place at the Sir Garfield Sobers Sports Complex and it is expected that over 500 Barbadians would be hired by the end of the first round.
“We are very encouraged by the number of applicants who turned out for the partnership recruitment event hosted by Royal Caribbean Group and the government of Barbados,” said Wendy McDonald, regional vice president, government relations for the Caribbean, Royal Caribbean Group.
“We have met some very qualified and excited candidates, and we look forward to welcoming them to help us deliver the best vacation experiences to our guests.”
The job fair was organized as part of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed by both parties in April at Seatrade Cruise Global in Miami; its purpose is to generate opportunities for high-quality employment in Barbados’ local tourism industry. With positions including a number of disciplines, Royal Caribbean Group will staff several ships homeporting in the Caribbean during the winter cruise season.
“The best ambassadors for the destination of Barbados are Barbadians and as part of our tourism marketing strategy, we want to ensure that Barbadians, who are known for their excellence in hospitality and service, have the opportunity to represent the destination, not only on the cruise ships, but wherever they go in the world.” said Senator the Hon. Lisa Cummins, Minister of Tourism and International Transport for Barbados.
“Through this initiative, Barbadians will benefit from the best opportunities for personal and professional growth and development while at the same time being the best ambassadors for destination Barbados.”
Cruise development is a major focus for Barbados, especially as the country moves to establish a strong cruise presence in Miami and foster closer relationships with cruise partners like Royal Caribbean Group.
An expanded office in Miami will give Barbados greater access to the cruise center of the world and enable greater collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, and Barbados’ external agencies in North America.
To explore careers for Barbados’ and Royal Caribbean Group’s hiring initiatives, interested parties can visit https://rclctrac.com/.