THE Northern Lands Partnership has launched a training scheme for businesses operating in the region's Protected Landscapes.
The North Pennines, Northumberland National Park, and Northumberland Coast Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONBs) and the Durham Heritage Coast together cover more than 30 per cent of North East England forming the North East Protected Landscapes.
They are home to much of the area’s most iconic wildlife, many National Nature Reserves, the Hadrian’s Wall World Heritage Site, a UNESCO endorsed European Geopark and much of the nation’s best coastline.
Called Sense of Place the scheme is designed to equip businesses with enhanced skills in welcoming visitors, improve product knowledge and become Protected Landscape ambassadors.
Starting in September, Sense of Place will give businesses the opportunity to have their front-line staff trained to deliver a great customer experience that will leave their visitors longing to return to the North East’s Protected Landscapes.
A series of experience days will incorporate a blend of local knowledge and customer service skills needed to deliver effective and excellent customer service and gain the prestigious Welcome Host Gold certification with the option to complete a nationally-recognised qualification: City & Guilds Level 2 Award in Principles of Customer Service in Hospitality Leisure, Travel and Tourism.
The programme runs across three days each focusing on a specific product or skill.
The first is classroom based and focuses on customer service skills. The second is an experience day focused on improving knowledge of the protected landscape with a tour led by a blue-badge guide to one of the four protected landscape areas. The final day is a guided tour sampling new products created through the Northern Lands Project. These range from a dark skies experience including a visit to a discovery site at night, getting the chance to try out a route on the new electric bike network or following a new food trail.
For more details and costs, or to sign up to the programme contact Michelle Gorman on 03000 261 221 or email: michelle.gorman@visitcountydurham.org
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