Scrub Island Resort, Spa & Marina, BVI Partners with Saira Hospitality to Offer Free Hospitality Training
BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS (Oct. 11, 2018) – Scrub Island Resort, Spa & Marina has joined forces with Saira Hospitality, a non-profit organization that provides local students with the skills and knowledge needed to work in the hospitality industry. Scrub Island is one of five BVI resorts participating in a new eight-week “pop-up” school launched by Saira Hospitality for 100 students.
“Now that Scrub Island is up and running as an Autograph Collection Hotel, we’re excited to partner on this new program and help provide crucial education for locals interested in pursuing careers in the hospitality industry,” said Scott McArdle, general manager of Scrub Island Resort, Spa & Marina. “The students are working alongside me and several of our staff members to gain first-hand experience in how our resort operates on a luxury level.”
Open to students across the BVI, the intensive hospitality course takes place Monday through Friday on Virgin Gorda and Tortola and is run by local staff trained by Saira Hospitality. Classes cover a multitude of topics, including tangible and intangible service qualities, loyalty programs, service recovery, mindfulness, wellness, as well as cultural and emotional intelligence. Students will also gain a broad understanding of hotels, the current state of tourism and the modern traveler. Additionally, the program will include training in sustainability, nutrition, personal finance, entrepreneurship and managerial thinking.
Upon completion, the partnering organizations will invite graduates to interview for available roles, in an effort to move program participants into long-term employment. This unconventional approach to recruitment disrupts the hospitality industry’s long-standing tradition of importing trained professionals from overseas. The program in the British Virgin Islands launched on Oct. 1, 2018. To learn more about Saira Hospitality’s programs,
visit www.SairaHospitality.com.
Always an exclusive getaway, Scrub Island Resort offers private-island luxury now more than ever, with crystal-clear water, pristine beaches and crowd-free vacationing. For reservations visit www.ScrubIsland.com.
About Scrub Island Resort, Spa & Marina, BVI
Opened in July 2010, Scrub Island Resort, Spa & Marina is named after its location, a serene 230-acre private-island haven situated at the east end of Tortola in the British Virgin Islands. A luxury, AAA Four Diamond hotel and the first member of Marriott’s Autograph Collection in the Caribbean, the resort is tucked into a rugged cliff overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea and neighboring islands. It features 52 guest accommodations as well as a collection of two-, three-, four- and six-bedroom villas, the intimate Ixora Spa, world-class restaurants, two private beaches and a 55-slip marina. For more information, call toll free U.S. 813-849-4153 or visit scrubisland.com.
About Mainsail Lodging & Development LLC
Mainsail Lodging & Development is a Tampa-based hospitality company that develops and operates lodging products in the Southeastern US and the Caribbean. Their property portfolio includes – Scrub Island Resort, Spa & Marina (ScrubIsland.com), a private island resort in the British Virgin Islands; the boutique food-focused Epicurean Hotel (EpicureanHotel.com) in Tampa, Florida; and Waterline Marina Resort & Beach Club on Anna Maria Island, Florida; in addition to Mainsail Beach Inn (MainsailBeachInn.com), a boutique beachfront hotel on Anna Maria Island, Florida. The company also operates corporate housing throughout the Southeast, exclusively managing the Florida market for Oakwood Worldwide® under both its ExecuStay® (ExecuStay.com) and Oakwood® (Oakwood.com) brands, while also operating ExecuStay in Georgia, portions of Alabama, and The Carolinas. Two additional Florida hotels are planned for 2018 and 2020, respectively – Fenway Hotel in Dunedin and Luminary Hotel & Co. in Fort Myers. Just north of Tampa in Pasco County, Mainsail Lodging is also developing a 128-room Residence Inn in conjunction with an indoor sports complex, opening in 2019. Mainsail Lodging’s corporate charity is Feeding Tampa Bay – the largest food rescue and distribution organization in the community. Mainsail actively supports the cause through a variety of employee and guest programs ranging from packing and sorting at the warehouse to annual events including Epic Chef Showdown. MainsailHotels.com
About Autograph Collection Hotels
The Autograph Collection is an evolving ensemble of strikingly independent hotels. Exactly like nothing else, each destination has been selected for its quality, bold originality, rich character and uncommon details. From near to far, iconic to historic, the result is an array of properties that is nothing less than unique, nothing short of collectively exceptional. For more information and reservations please visit www.autographhotels.com, or explore our social media channels to learn more about championing the independent spirit.
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