Sierra Leone Hotels Association launches a five-day professional training for Makeni hotel and restaurant employees

The Sierra Leone Association of Hotels has launched a five-day professional training program for hotel and restaurant employees at the Wusum Hotel in Makeni. Over 50 people from hotels, guest houses, bars, and restaurants throughout the Northern Region are taking part. The course focuses on practical skills for kitchen staff, front desk officers, and housekeepers to help them deliver better service on a daily basis.
The sessions are being led by Jean Paul Hubert of France, an internationally experienced hospitality trainer hired by the Association. Mr Hubert, who has over 50 years of experience in the hospitality industry spanning multiple continents, will lead training for personnel from the Northeast, South, and Western Areas over the next month.
At the start of the program, John Shalop, President of the Sierra Leone Association of Hotels, stated that the training aims to increase staff capacity and align local service standards with internationally recognised best practices. He urged participants to fully engage with the instruction and to pass on newly acquired skills to younger employees in their workplaces. Mr Shalop believes that improving competencies in front office management, kitchen operations, and housekeeping will help address the sector’s ongoing service challenges.
All attendees who complete the training will be given certificates. A closing ceremony is scheduled for Friday, September 4, 2026, at the Wusum Hotel. The initiative is part of the Association’s larger strategy to professionalise Sierra Leone’s hospitality industry and raise service standards nationwide.