Launching a Tourism Ambassador program at the Johannesburg Theatre in Braamfontein on May, 28. The City of Johannesburg’s Department of Economic Development: Tourism directorate couldn’t be any more excited.
The key focus of the program is to deploy ambassadors to the tourism sites and of whom will be able to sell the city and showcasing the unsafe and most attractive sites in the city, whilst showcasing the beautiful ends of where to best indulge yourself in as you visit the prominent city of Gold. With a start of just 60 young Joburg Tourism Ambassadors, the country is looking forward to the most amazing work that is yet to spiral in a good view.
Running in partnership with the City’s public safety Department and national government’s extended public works program. They will be handled by laws, traffic safety’s, basic aid and hospitality courses. With a monthly stipend of R3300.
“Tourism remains an economic growth imperative on the city’s agenda. In line with the prioritization of achieving increased visitor arrivals in the city and contributing towards the economic growth target of 5% by 2021, Joburg Tourism seeks ways to facilitate the tourism experience at sites and attractions in the city, rendering them safe, pleasant, informative and memorable. Its operations include running a Convention Bureau, a Visitor Services Bureau, as well as coordinating city-wide tourism marketing programs, tourism information gathering, and analysis” said Knott.
With the perfect aim of challenging the stigma that Joburg currently holds on unsafe and dirty places, the Tourism ambassadors seek to destroy that and make Johannesburg a safer destination whilst leading to more tourists visiting the city for business and pleasure.
“In terms of Johannesburg’s Growth and Development Strategy [GDS], the Joburg 2040 – tourism remains an economic growth imperative on the city’s agenda,” says Cllr Leah Knott, MMC for the City’s Department of Economic Development. “In line with the prioritization of achieving increased visitor arrivals in the city and contributing towards the economic growth target of 5% by 2021, Joburg Tourism has sought ways to facilitate the tourism experience at sites and attractions in the City, rendering them safe, pleasant, informative and memorable”.
The importance of the program is to enhance tourism safety in identifying the tourism nodes and creating 60 direct job opportunities for the graduates who are willing t go through the tourism sector. This will improve the opportunities that are being created under the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP). The Gauteng Tourism Authority is currently implementing a new program on behalf of the National Department of Tourism. However, due to the demand allocated on our monitors the safety concerns are not being adequately addressed.
Prior to their deployment, the team of 60 ambassadors will be trained in the following key aspects related to their role:
• Tourism information, geo-locating tourism sites, and tourist site guidance
• Service excellence and customer care
• Communication skills and conflict management
• By-law education and awareness on issues such as public roads, street trading, etc.
• Road Safety
• Community Patrolling Johannesburg Tourism is second of the destination marketing organizations, which are dedicated to promoting the tourism sector in Johannesburg city. The most primary factor is in trying to improve the tourism sector, sport, leisure, and business and lifestyle. In both the International and local region.
