Hamilton & Waikato Tourism in conjunction with Hamilton Central Business Association, with support from Hamilton City Council, have just launched an initiative to develop Hamilton tourism ambassadors.
The ultimate aim of the programme is to enhance the experience of visitors to the Waikato region while educating our industry and locals about the rich and fascinating stories of the city and wider region.
Designed to upskill frontline staff from Hamilton tourism businesses, hospitality and accommodation providers, transport operators, retailers and volunteers, the training programme aims to expand local knowledge by providing simple tools and useful information about Kirikiriroa-Hamilton and the wider Waikato region to create positive and memorable experiences for leisure and business travellers to the city.
The bespoke course has been developed by Queenstown Resort College (QRC) in collaboration with local industry, historians and iwi. QRC has successfully rolled out variants of the programme in six locations around New Zealand, including Auckland, Queenstown, Wanaka and Northland.
Consisting of a three-hour workshop, the course delves into the history and unique stories of the city and wider mighty Waikato region, including local Māori history and legends, the experience of early settlers and how the local economy has evolved to present day.
Participants will learn more about Kirikiriroa-Hamilton and become storytellers and advocates for the region, to enhance the ‘manaakitanga’ that visitors experience when they travel here.
The course will also provide tips on how to better connect with visitors from key international markets, ensuring they are left with a positive and lasting impression of the city.
The Kirikiriroa-Hamilton Ambassador Programme was recently launched to a group of local businesses and tourism operators who have played an active role in the development of the programme and bringing local stories to life, and feedback has been very positive to date.
As a result, there are already a number of Hamilton businesses signing up to the programme by enrolling all staff for training.
The first dates have been released, with workshops taking place on October 7 and November 11.
Once the Kirikiriroa-Hamilton Ambassador Programme has been successfully integrated into Hamilton city, we will look to roll the programme out across the wider region with the addition of more regional history, legends and stories.
The programme is open to everyone for a small fee of $30 + GST per person and we encourage not only those within the tourism industry but also wider business community to attend as everyone should be familiar with the icons and stories of our city and region.
For more information visit http://nzambassador.com/kirikiriroa-hamilton/
