WATCH: Joburg Tourism Ambassador Programme launched

A THREE-YEAR Tourism Ambassador Programme was launched by Johannesburg City’s Department of Economic Development: Tourism directorate, at the Joburg Theatre in Braamfontein, on May 28.

Sixty youth around Johannesburg will be employed for the next 36 months and this is in line with the City’s focused approach to continue support tourism growth.

Among other things that these ambassadors will do includes: create safe and memorable stays for the tourists, be the face of the City and provide information for both the tourist and the locals.

Councillor Leah Knott, the MMC for the City’s Department of Economic Development, said in terms of Johannesburg’s Growth and Development Strategy (GDS), the Joburg 2040, tourism remains an economic growth imperative on the City’s agenda.

“In line with the prioritisation of achieving increased visitor arrivals in the City and contributing towards the economic growth target of five per cent by 2021, Joburg Tourism has looked for ways to facilitate the tourism experience at sites and attractions in the City, rendering them safe, pleasant, informative and memorable. The Tourism Ambassador Programme envisages making Johannesburg a safer destination, leading to an increased number of tourists visiting the City for both leisure and business,” explained Knott.

The total budget for this project is R1.32-million including VAT, where the 60 candidates will be paid R3 300 per month internship stipend inclusive of UIF, R5 000 per month all inclusive for supervisors and R4 770 per person safety uniform.

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 and community patrolling.

Councillor Michael Sun, the MMC for Public Safety, is thrilled to be collaborating with the Joburg Tourism on the Tourism Ambassador Programme to create visibility at tourism sites and attractions.

“This is a proactive initiative which is set to reduce the number of security incidents affecting tourists and residents. “Secondly, the ambassadors will assist in providing tourism information to tourists and visitors,” he said.

Placement of the Tourism Ambassadors will commence in July, once the first set of basic training has been completed.

There are 21 city tourism hot spots where these ambassadors will be placed which includes among them Gold Reef City, Calton Centre, FNB Stadium, Ghandi Square, Kwa Mai-Mai Market and Transport Museum in Wemmer Pan, just to name a few.

WATCH:

Background to the launch of the Joburg Tourism Ambassador Programme

• As prescribed in the Municipal Systems Act of 2000, the City of Johannesburg is responsible for economic development, which includes the promotion of tourism. In addition to this primary role, the City has been mandated to attract investment towards achieving five per cent economic growth that will reduce unemployment by 2021. This major responsibility entails the creation of sustainable jobs, skills development and increasing growth of the local economy.

• The City intends to stimulate confidence in key role players within the tourism and hospitality industry by training and placing tourism ambassadors at key tourism attractions to ensure tourism safety in the City.

• The main aim of having the Tourism Ambassador Programme is primarily to create visibility in tourism attractions and to proactively reduce the number of criminal incidents targeting tourists visiting the City. Furthermore, these ambassadors will assist in providing tourism information to tourists. The programme envisages making Johannesburg a safer destination for tourists and visitors, leading to an increased number of tourists visiting the City for both leisure and business.

Where and how will the programme be rolled out?

• Through the Tourism Directorate, the City of Johannesburg’s Department of Economic Development has provisionally identified the tourism hot spots where tourism ambassadors will be placed. The Department of Economic Development will be working together with CoJ’s Department of Public Safety in recruiting the 60 Johannesburg-based youth to participate in the programme, as well as providing training prior to being deployed. A number of 60 participants will be identified within the Johannesburg municipality wards and interviewed and the programme will run for three years.

WATCH:

What are the primary objectives of the Tourism Ambassador Programme?

• To create jobs for 60 unemployed youth with matric as the minimum qualification and/or above qualifications, residing in the Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipal area.

• To create visibility in tourism attractions.

• To stimulate confidence to key role players within the tourism and hospitality industry.

• To stimulate conditions for accelerated and sustainable employment opportunities in the City.

How will the programme be managed and driven?

• The Tourism Ambassador Programme will be driven through three key strategic initiatives, i.e. strategic partnership and stakeholder involvement, skills development and placement of candidates at the tourism attractions.

• Candidates will be placed at the key tourism attraction sites within the City of Johannesburg Municipality. The City will maintain continuous engagement with the tourism industry stakeholders where the candidates will be placed.

• Reporting will be to the VIC’s (Visitor Information Centres) for monitoring with on-site supervisors.

For free daily local news in the south, visit our sister newspapers Alberton Record, Comaro Chronicle, Southern Courier and Get it Joburg South Magazine.

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