Partnership to train local tourism businesses recovering from pandemic

The Fife Tourism Partnership and Fife College are delivering WorldHost training, an internationally recognised programme that empowers staff to deliver excellent customer service, to tourism businesses in the region.

Aimed at helping support businesses as they recover from the impacts of the pandemic, WorldHost training participants can apply their newly acquired skills immediately, so they feel the benefit straight away. 

A flexible course that covers real-life situations and incorporates local knowledge, the course is part of a commitment by the Partnership and the College to ensure visitors to the Kingdom receive the warmest welcome and the highest levels of customer service.

The College has trained staff to deliver the programme with the first cohort of local businesses completing their training recently.

Businesses that recently completed their training were, Cluny Activities, Garvock House Hotel, The OId Manor Hotel, MacLeod Highland Tours, Silverburn Park, Riverburn Park and the Mercat Shopping Centre. 

Cllr Altany Craik, Fife Council spokesperson for tourism, said:

“It has been a difficult few years for the tourism industry. Working in partnership with Fife College to deliver the WorldHost programme shows our commitment to local businesses, and to the recovery of the sector.

“Fife has just been voted the happiest place for visitors in Scotland, and having excellent levels of customer service will ensure that all our visitors continue to receive a warm welcome, and have an excellent experience while they are here.”

Geoffrey Proudlock, Director of the Faculty of Business, Enterprise and Tourism with Supported Programmes at Fife College, said:

“We are delighted to be working with the Fife Tourism Partnership on WorldHost. We have trained staff to deliver the programme and have just completed the first cohort for local businesses.

“The value of this training is so good that we are now looking to incorporate it into all our travel and tourism courses, and to offer it to any business with customer-facing staff.”

Fife achieved WorldHost Destination Status just before the pandemic, with the Partnership and College committing to delivering the programme to as many tourism businesses as possible. 

Fife Tourism Partnership and Fife College will continue to work together to ensure the WorldHost status is retained, giving the new generation access to valuable training which has been shown to increase staff motivation, reduce turnover and absenteeism, build better communication between staff and customers, and improve customer service ratings.