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Joburg Tourism rolls out 227 strong Tourism Ambassador Programme

   

After months of behind-the-scenes work, the Johannesburg Tourism Company is thrilled to be rolling out its latest Tourism Ambassador Programme, placing 227 enthusiastic youth at sites and attractions across the city.

 

After screening, training and upskilling of successful candidates, Joburg Tourism began placing the information ambassadors at various tourism sites and attractions in the second week of November. The programme envisages making Johannesburg safer and easier to navigate for visitors. This contingent of tourism information ambassadors is a welcome addition to bolstering tourism awareness and information services in destination Joburg.

 

“It is a comprehensive, multi-layered project which we are confident will bear fruit and successfully realise its objectives,” explains Thandubuhle Mgudlwa, Joburg Tourism CEO.

 

“Working with stakeholders in the both public and private sectors, this programme is key to enhance tourism safety awareness at tourism attractions, sites and tourism hotspots throughout the city - and to prevent and reduce the number of crime incidents that are directed at tourists. Equally importantly, the objectives of the initiative include skilling and providing practical work experience to unemployed youth, utilising the vehicle of the Public Employment Programme (PEP), to enable them to be employable. In fact, we are pleased to report that three candidates from last year’s intake have been placed in the tourism sector with full time positions.”

 

   

The broad-ranging training, conducted in partnership with the City’s Department of Public Safety, comprised ten modules, from first aid and basic fire prevention to service excellence and tourism and information dissemination services.

 

“In spite of the challenges we have faced in previous iterations of the Tourism Ambassador Programme, we have built a solid foundation. By intensifying monitoring, recruiting qualified candidates and improving logistical planning, the current and future programmes can build on the lessons learned to achieve greater success,” concludes Mgudlwa.