Tourism Update: Tourism with a Personal Touch
by Bettina Wolff von Gudenberg


With our spectacular scenery and variety of vacation experiences, BC is a desirable travel destination for people all over the world. But once the visitor arrives in BC, they want to know more - where to go, what to do, and how to get there. 
In a world where technology seems to be regularly replacing human interaction, it may be common for us to think that a tool such as a website can deliver all the necessary information, and that personal service isn’t necessary. As we all know, this is not the case in the tourism industry. Part of what makes a vacation memorable is the people you meet. After all, a travel experience can involve a variety of customer service situations in which the human element can make the difference. These memories are what visitors tell their friends, and what they use to help them make a decision to return.
In 2010, Vancouver and Whistler will be hosting the Olympic and Paralympic Games, a unique opportunity to “welcome the world” to our province. Thousands of visitors and athletes will depend on our industry for knowledge and lasting memories. For this reason, customer service excellence during the Games has been identified as a priority by Tourism BC and its key stakeholders. As part of Tourism BC’s strategic plan, WorldHost® programs with partners such as VANOC and 2010 Legacies Now are in development to train employees and volunteers to be BC ambassadors before, during, and after the Games.
“To truly maximize the opportunity of hosting the Games, there are a lot of dots to be connected, from marketing to destination development and visitor servicing,” commented Rick Lemon, Vice President of Visitor Services at Tourism BC and founder of the SuperHost® program. “The common thread is a focus on strong customer servicing at every stage of the process.”
In addition to a BC ambassadors program, Tourism BC is committed to developing an updated SuperHost workshop that will take the program through 2010 and beyond. The original SuperHost program was first introduced in 1985 to prepare BC’s tourism workforce to host the world at Expo 86. Since then, more than 450,000 British Columbians have participated in SuperHost training and helped establish BC’s world-class reputation for service. SuperHost workshops were also chosen to prepare volunteers for the Commonwealth Games held in Victoria in 1994. 
An important module of the SuperHost program’s curriculum is titled, “Out and About in Your Community”, where trainees are taught the significance of being an ambassador by showing enthusiasm for, and knowledge about the local area’s attractions, sights, and travel opportunities. 
As well, Tourism BC’s Visitor Centre counsellors serve as ambassadors each day. Certified in the SuperHost program, Visitor Centre employees play a key role in providing information and services to visitors of the province, and are part of Tourism BC’s strategic marketing efforts. As an example, in 2005 Visitor Centre counsellors at BC’s 113 Visitor Centres provided travel counselling and advice to more than 3.3 million visitors, and research suggests that visitors that speak with a travel counsellor are more likely to spend more time and money in BC. 
Each tourism operation has the opportunity to benefit from knowledgeable and enthusiastic staff. Many tourism businesses are already leading the way in terms of customer service. This is proven in the number of hospitality awards programs in the province, where frontline tourism employees are recognized for “going the extra mile” by assisting visitors with their travel plans, and by suggesting alternate vacation opportunities. 
As Tourism BC moves forward with the development of ambassador and customer service programs specifically designed to meet the needs of the Games and beyond, it is the role of tourism employers to ensure that their employees are knowledgeable and have the ability to share their passion for this province with guests. 

For more information about the SuperHost program, contact Training Services at 250-387-1711 or email superhost@tourismbc.com.