If you’ve ever wanted to share your passion and interest in local tourism and heritage, a new plan may be just around the corner.
Visit Leicester has launched a new Volunteer Tourism Ambassadors program which aims to involve a diverse range of people in presenting heritage events, cultural activities, tourist attractions and hotels across the city.
This volunteer scheme offers participants the opportunity to receive free training, learn new skills and take part in tourism events as part of a busy team promoting the best of Leicester.
And now the first group of volunteer tourism ambassadors have completed their training and are ready to introduce the city to visitors. In addition to their enthusiasm and local knowledge, new volunteers speak a wide range of languages including Cantonese, English, Gujarati, Hindi, Mandarin, Polish, Portuguese and Punjabi.
Danka Newborn, from Oadby, was one of the first volunteer tourism ambassadors to take part in the new training course earlier this year. She said: “I was born and raised in Leicester and I think becoming a Volunteer Tourism Ambassador is a great opportunity to introduce visitors and residents to the city’s tourism offerings.”
Mayor Peter Soulsby said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for people with an interest in tourism, culture and the city’s attractions to get involved in this exciting volunteering project.
“Tourism is a key part of the city’s economy, bringing in millions of pounds each year and will play a key role in introducing some of our highlights to visitors to Leicester. ”
Well-trained volunteer tourism ambassadors will be provided with uniforms so that they can be easily recognized by tourists visiting the city. In addition to welcoming visitors to the city, the job may include providing information, guidance, and recommendations on what to see and do during their visit to the city. Conducting tours. Share local knowledge about the city’s history, culture, architecture and community. and supports the city’s annual festival and event program. It also showcases Leicester’s major venues and attractions, including the King Richard III Visitor Centre, Leicester Cathedral and Heritage Learning Centre, the Jewish Wall, the National Space Centre, the Great Central Railway and Leicester Museum and Art Gallery. is also helpful.
Volunteers must be 18 years of age or older and must be able to participate in at least 12 volunteer sessions per year.
Sarah Harrison, Director of Leicester City Center, said: “We are looking for volunteers from diverse cultural backgrounds who are passionate about tourism and hospitality and comfortable meeting and interacting with people.
“If you speak another language or know British Sign Language, we’d love to hear from you.”
The council will provide information and presentations to help new volunteers better understand what the city has to offer in terms of tourism and develop the key skills and knowledge required for the role.
A short online course on customer care and related key skills is being offered by the University of Leicester.
Jenny Porter, Program Area Manager at the University of Leicester, said: “We are proud to work with Leicester City Council to offer unique opportunities for volunteers. Here at the University of Leicester, we not only support the local economy but also , most importantly, we will continue to provide important customer service elements that will encourage more visitors to our vibrant and diverse city.”
In 2022, Leicester’s tourism value exceeded £700m and supported over 7,000 jobs. The city has welcomed 10 million visitors, resulting in 5 million staying in the city’s ever-increasing number of exciting new hotels.
For more information about our tourism volunteer programme, please visit Visit Leicester or contact Leicester City Council Tourism Projects Officer Gitte Magielse at Gitte.Magielse@leicester.gov.uk or on 0116 454 0199.
