When Teresa Trees, the attendance secretary at Sells Middle School, became a Certified Tourism Ambassador of Columbus, she did it to boost her resume.
An unexpected benefit was learning more about not only the community, but also her own family.
“In the class, there’s a lot of info about the history of Ohio and Columbus,” she says. “Through that, I found a historical connection to my family. I could never figure out why they made the move from Virginia to Ohio. I learned that, to help after the Civil War, soldiers were given land (in Ohio). A relative was perhaps given land and moved to Washington Court House.”
This finding was a byproduct of the CTA program. The program’s primary goal is to ensure anyone who visits the City of Dublin leaves with a strong, positive memory of the visit.
To that end, the City teamed up with Experience Columbus and its Certified Tourism Ambassador program in December 2012 to create a specialized Dublin training program. The original program began earlier that year.
“We celebrated the bicentennial that year and it was an ideal time to launch the program,” says Experience Columbus Senior Visitor Experience Manager Robbie Banks. “There was a really strong sense of pride and we felt the community was ready for it.”
Scott Dring, executive director of the Dublin Convention and Visitors Bureau, assists with the Dublin portion of the progr
am.
“Our overall motivation was to educate the local community on all the great things in Dublin so they can communicate that to visitors who come to town,” Dring says. “We want our locals to be able to talk about the history and all the secret spots. They’re truly ambassadors for the visitors.”
Those seeking to become CTAs must attend a half-day course and pass an open book exam. The course contains information pertinent to tourism and hospitality in the Columbus area. The Dublin program has an additional component.
“After the test, we have a ‘Taste of Dublin’ where local restaurants come in and feed these folks … as we speak for a half hour about Dublin,” Dring says. “It helps to really sell and offer the great things we have to offer.”
The newly-inducted ambassadors will then receive their “Welcome to My Dublin” recognition – an added accolade that states the CTA specializes in Dublin tourism.
Members of the community are encouraged to join the program, whether they are high-ranking City employees or just someone interested in the City.
“The CTAs can be anyone,” Banks says. “They’re ideally people who interact with others on a regular basis. We have noticed that residents who simply want to know about Columbus will serve as an unofficial ambassador for their friends and families.”
Realtors, hotels, restaurants, nonprofits and venues all have participants in the CTA. This year, Banks looks to include more transportation employees into the mix.
“We would really like to see more cab drivers, bus operators and shuttle drivers get involved,” she says. “Often times, they’re the first and last impressions, so they need to be memorable.”
To renew the CTA certification each year, members must earn at least 50 points that represent how active they are in the community.
“Points are achieved by attending CTA networking events, visiting attractions, attending tourism-related seminars and programs, and volunteering for leisure opportunities,” Banks says. “This system encourages them to experience what the visitors would and it keeps members current, informed and active.”
Members receive a weekly email from Banks informing them of volunteer opportunities and new happenings in the community. They also receive a bimonthly newsletter from the Tourism Ambassador Institute to keep them abreast on a national level.
Information like this helps keep members more in tune with their town, even if they’ve been involved in the community for a long while already.
“Even though I’ve been here for many years, I’ve learned a lot more,” Trees says. “Dublin has a great number of parks and river access. Many people don’t realize they’re there. You don’t expect that in what looks like an urban city.”
To become a CTA, visit www.joinuscolumbus.com. The cost is $29 and includes the after-class luncheon. The next class is scheduled for April 29 at the Dublin Community Recreation Center.
There are more than 150 CTAs in Dublin. These people can be utilized during major events, like The Presidents Cup, and at the Visitor Information Center.
“We’re not just telling people about Columbus and Dublin,” Dring says. “There’s an education component and it teaches how to speak to people and gives an insight into travel and tourism. It really teaches communication.”
Stephan Reed is an editorial associate. Feedback welcome at laurand@cityscenemediagroup.com.
