City looking for tour guides

July 01, 2009 09:35 pm

— From Staff Reports

The Corsicana Visitor Center is offering residents an opportunity to earn a little pocket money to brag about their community. The Center’s new TAG program — “Tour and Guide” certification program aims to create a group of trained people to serve as a resource to the tourism and convention industries.
A hospitality training workshop will be held in the Community Room of the Corsicana Library from 1 to 5 p.m. Thursday, July 9 for anyone who is interested in being a part of Corsicana’s first TAG group.
“Creating an infrastructure to support group travel to the city is an important aspect of developing a vibrant tourism industry here,” said Steve Dieterichs, tourism coordinator for the City of Corsicana. “Tourism will benefit our economy if we start looking at it as an industry.”
Valerie Nite, coordinator of the Texas Friendly Hospitality Program with the Texas AgriLife Extension Service in College Station, will facilitate the workshop. Topics covered will include: first impressions, knowing your job, knowing your community, communicating clearly, handling problems effectively and making a lasting impression.
An additional training session to ensure all guides communicate the same message will be required this fall when the city’s marketing agency, HCK2 Partners, rolls out the community’s new brand.
Dieterichs said he hopes to find guides willing to develop an expertise in the City’s rich heritage among African Americans, Hispanics and its Jewish community, as well as historical areas of oil, music and industry.
“These volunteers will become independent contractors for the many entities both within and outside of the community who can use a trained, informed and skilled tour guide,” said Dieterichs.
According to Dieterichs, putting all the pieces in place now will allow for the emergence of new travel-related businesses, such as destination management and transportation companies. This will be especially important as the new International Order of Oddfellows conference center comes on the market in the future.
The certification program and hospitality workshop are free of charge and open to all members of the community. Space is limited. Pre-registration and additional information is available by contacting Steve Dieterichs at (903) 654-4851 or e-mail sdieterichs@ci.corsicana.tx.us.
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