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English tourist industry ready to welcome the world for the greatest show on earth
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- Category: Agency & Association
- Created on Wednesday, 18 April 2012 09:40
English tourist industry ready to welcome the world for the greatest show on earth
With 100 days to go before the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games VisitEngland, the national tourist board, has called on the industry to make England the most welcoming place in the world this year.With the full support of Government, the tourist board is already working closely with a number of partners to activate several initiatives to ensure visitors receive a genuinely warm welcome that will enhance their experience of the country.
Fantastic first and last impressions – VisitEngland’s Airport Welcome Project
Since 2009, 15 airports across England have undertaken a ‘Welcome Audit and Improvement Plan’ process, which reviews the visitor’s journey throughout the airport from booking, to arrival and departure. Earlier this year VisitEngland held a seminar for representatives from airports across England which have taken part in the Welcome Audit to share best practice. Key results included greater collaboration with local travel operators to improve onward travel links, partnering with Destination Management Organisations to offer enhanced visitor information onsite and customer service training projects.
Great customer service - VisitEngland Awards for Excellence
English Tourism Week (10-18 March 2012) saw the announcement of the country’s first Tourism Superstar. The award forms part of the annual VisitEngland Awards for Excellence and is designed to reward an individual who works in the tourism industry, who always goes above and beyond the call of duty, is genuinely in love with the local area, is knowledgeable, friendly and embodies the soul of their local destination. This year’s winner was local Newcastle cabbie, Alan Fidler; Mr Fidler will receive his accolade at the VisitEngland Awards for Excellence ceremony in Leicester on 22 May.
Excellent tourist information – City of London Visitor Information Centre
The provision of excellent tourist information has been a key focus for VisitEngland since its inception 3 years ago. Due to launch in May this year will be a new partnership with the City of London Corporation that will see the visitor information centre based near St Paul’s Cathedral extend its remit to provide information on destinations throughout England which are playing host to Olympic venues. Staff are currently being trained up on destinations such as Coventry, Windsor, Newcastle, Weymouth, Kent and Manchester, and will be ready to welcome visitors ahead of The Games with inspiring ideas on how to get the best out of their trips outside of the Capital.
Chief Executive of VisitEngland, James Berresford, commented: “Welcome is the touchstone of the success of tourism in this country – if the welcome isn’t right, our visitors from home and away will not come back. We want to say to the world 100 days before the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, that we are ready to show visitors the time of their lives! We are already working very closely with our industry on the welcome we extend to visitors and I would like to take this opportunity to challenge the industry to make England the most welcoming place in the world!”
