The Brisbane Welcomes You program is a five-module online training course for those working in tourism or events, aiming to boost individual hosting capabilities for major events like the FIFA Women’s World Cup, which starts next week, and the Brisbane 2032 Olympics further ahead.
“As more mega events come to the city and international travellers return, we want to see as many local event volunteers and tourism industry businesses as possible through the program,” said BEDA’s CEO Anthony Ryan.
The course takes between an hour and an hour and a half to complete and covers the role of locals as event hosts, destination pride and passion, getting around Brisbane and destination experiences and storytelling. One of the modules also focusses on the visitors themselves.
Twelve hundred people from the visitor economy are expected to take the course in its first year.
“We want to build on Brisbane’s reputation as one of the most inviting, friendly and inclusive cities in the world by going that extra mile for visitors to our beautiful city,” said Brisbane’s Lord Mayor, Adrian Schrinner.
“If a visitor wants to know the best rooftop bar, the easiest way to get to the Mount Coot-tha Summit or find a late-night shopping precinct this new program will equip our ambassadors with all the information to give our guests the best Brisbane experience.
“The program will help build readiness to host guests from around the globe, while supporting local businesses and boosting Brisbane’s $6.9 billion domestic visitor spend.
“It will also create a knowledgeable and passionate cohort of city ambassadors across the tourism and events industry to provide visitors with a personal and immersive connection to Brisbane and our people, culture, experiences and events.
“This program is open to all businesses who play a role in welcoming and hosting guests in Brisbane as well as passionate tourism and events volunteers with a drive to make their mark on the city.”
Schrinner said the FIFA Women’s World Cup served as a good opportunity to boost hosting capacity within the tourism and events industries.
Tourism and Events Queensland is supporting the program.
