Philadelphia Creates Online Course To Churn Out Resident Tourism Ambassadors
By John Ostapkovich
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Philadelphia tourism officials are rolling out a new way to get involved in promoting our fair region, one interaction at a time.
How would you like to be a Certified Hospitality Professional? It's free, online, and doesn't take long, says Jack Ferguson, president and CEO of the Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau.
"The program can be completed in under two hours, and it is a great asset for those that are job-seeking and those looking forward to refreshing their customer skills," Ferguson tells KYW Newsradio.
Derek Muller, a La Salle University student and city recreation department worker, is one of the first certificate holders. He says part of the idea is taking that extra step.
"Perhaps you're showing someone where the bathroom is. Instead of going, 'The bathroom's down the stairs to your right,' you could take them halfway, give them a hand, and show them which way they're going."
A little thing, yes, but Ferguson says hospitality is the memory business and travelers will remember an extra act of kindness in their descriptions of Philly to others.
More information is available at phlwelcomesu.com (although the site was intermittently down on Tuesday morning).
