Monmouthshire taxi drivers are being trained to offer a warm Welsh welcome to the visitors expected in the region for this year’s 2010 Ryder Cup.
The ‘Welcome to the 2010 Ryder Cup’ sessions have been developed by Coleg Llandrillo on behalf of Capital Region Tourism, the lead tourism body for South East Wales. The sessions are being offered to people and organisations who are likely to have a role in welcoming visitors to Wales this October and beyond.
Alice Brown, project manager for Capital Region Tourism, said: “The capital region will be the focus of world attention for a very short time during The Ryder Cup. The Welcome sessions aim to give delegates tips and tools on how to make sure people understand and appreciate that they are in Wales and that we have a distinctive and high quality welcome to offer, not only during the week of the event but long after it has taken place.
“Everyone has a role to play, however small, in ensuring visitors remember their visit to Wales in a positive light. Even a short taxi ride can have an impact on the overall perception of Wales. The region stands to gain more from the legacy of The Ryder Cup than immediately during the event. We want to put Wales on the world map for the right reasons so that visitors return again and again to experience that warm Welsh welcome.”
The Monmouthshire taxi drivers are among the first of many tourism, hospitality, customer service and retail staff who will take part in Welcome sessions ahead of the tournament, which have been developed to be delivered as a stand alone half-day ‘in depth’ seminar, a 15 minute short course which can form part of an existing conference or event or, as is the case for the Monmouthshire cabbies, in a condensed forty-five minute format.
Course tutor, Phil Whitney, said: “First impressions count and we are determined that visitor facing staff will be given the skills they need to offer a truly warm Welsh welcome to people whenever they are in Wales. The half day seminar covers a wide range of topics including customer care, sense of place and local knowledge, whereas the shorter sessions encapsulate the essence of why a Welsh welcome is important and different. In either case, delegates come away with the information they need to be able to make that first impression a positive experience.”
Mike Bloor of Richmond Taxis, said: “We’re often the first or last person a visitor meets when they travel by train or plane. I hope we can work with the local tourism trade and pick up some additional business during the tournament. I’m keen to play my part in making The Ryder Cup a success for Monmouthshire and Wales. If I can persuade just one customer to come back to the this area for another, maybe longer holiday, then that’s good for everyone.”
In order to reduce potential congestion in the local area and to minimise vehicle flows, direct access to The Celtic Manor will be prohibited . All access for the general public will be via the Park and Ride sites at Llanwern and Tredegar Park or, for those travelling by train, Newport train station. The opportunity for taxi drivers across the region will be in getting people from accommodation to the Park and Ride sites or the local train station so they can travel to Newport.
To find out more about setting up a Welcome to the Ryder Cup Wales 2010 session for your staff or organisation, contact Chris Allen, event welcome co-ordinator, on 029 2041 6418 or email [email protected].
