Press Releases

Anaheim Begins Certified Tourism Ambassador Program

Training Designed to Take Customer Service to a New Level

Anaheim, Calif. (February 12, 2009) – The Anaheim/Orange County Visitor & Convention Bureau (AOCVCB) and the city of Anaheim are launching a nationally recognized customer-service training program this spring.

    Administered through the Tourism Ambassador Institute™, the Certified Tourism Ambassador™ (CTA) Program is designed to boost tourism by enhancing visitor satisfaction with the destination.

    The overall objective is to inspire front-line hospitality staff, as well as those in different facets of the visitor industry to turn every visitor encounter into a positive and memorable experience.

    Anaheim will be the ninth city to launch this successful certification program. The program will be administered by the AOCVCB and will consist of an extensive training program, including a wide-range of Anaheim, Orange County and Southern California destination background and customer service skill training and a written exam. Community members from front-line employees to hotel general managers will be enrolled in this comprehensive training program.

    Christina Dawson, vice president of strategic partnerships at the AOCVCB, stated that “Anaheim has long been an industry leader in hospitality, and this program will bring that strength to new heights. Our goal is to exceed customer expectations and to make Anaheim stand out as an exceptional destination for business and leisure travelers.”

    Training for the CTA Program begins this March, and it is anticipated that 350 people will be trained CTA representatives by the end of 2009.  Upon completion volunteers are awarded the Certified Tourism Ambassador™ (CTA) designation and may use the initials CTA behind their names. As a result of their broad training they will be equipped with a vast array of destination knowledge, superior customer service skills and will have the ability to participate in a number of industry networking events and CTA member value programs.

    The program itself consists of a comprehensive resource binder (given to participants two weeks prior to the class), a four-hour destination and customer-service training course, which is followed by the CTA exam.

    Mickey Schaefer, the program’s founder noted, “one of the critically important differences between the Certified Tourism Ambassador Program offered by the Tourism Ambassador Institute™ and other training programs is that our program leads to full certification as a Certified Tourism Ambassador™.   Certification, unlike other training programs, involves an annual renewal process – constantly building upon the CTA’s knowledge base, which provides a lasting value to the industry and the visitors it serves.”

    Those interested in Anaheim’s CTA program should contact Barbara McClelland at bmcclelland@anaheimoc.org or visit the CTA Web site at www.ctanetwork.com.

The Anaheim/Orange County Visitor & Convention Bureau is a non-profit destination marketing organization dedicated to promoting Anaheim/Orange County as a premier visitor, convention and meeting destination.  For more information, call 714/765-8888 or visit anaheimoc.org.

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