Tourism Destination Management Certificate Program

Transcription

1 Tourism Destination Management Certificate Program Advanced Destination Management Program June & July 2011

2 Introduction to the Program The Jordan Inbound Tour Operators Association (JITOA) in cooperation with the International Institute of Tourism Studies at the George Washington University is pleased to offer the professional Destination Management Certification (DMC) Program to all tourism professionals in Jordan. This program aims to increase the professionalism within the destination management industry in Jordan by establishing a level of knowledge and performance necessary for certification; recognizing and raising industry standards and practices; and maximizing the value of the products and services that certified destination management professionals can provide. This Certificate is the only certificate program in Destination Management that has been TedQual certified. The TedQual Certification System is quality Assurance system for tourism education, training and research programs. As such all TedQual certified programs have passed through rigorous testing, performed by an independent certifying institution, in order to ensure that they meet the high standards required by the WTO. Destination Management courses are designed for tourism destination managers & marketers, hotel developers, tour operators, business owners, government officials and others concerned with enhancing the long-term sustainability and competitiveness of tourism destinations. Through the use of expert analysis, tools, best practices, benchmarks and case studies. Emphasis in this program would be placed on minimizing the negative impacts of tourism and preserving cultural and natural resources, while optimizing tourism s overall contribution to economic development in host communities.

3 Program Agenda Dates: 1. Meetings and Conferences Saturday, June 4th, Destination Management Companies Saturday, June 11th, Tourism Destination Market Positioning & Branding Strategies Saturday, June 18th, E-marketing and Internet Applications for Tourism Saturday June 25th, Ecotourism, Protected Areas and Community Involvement Saturday July 2nd, Quality Customer Service for the Tourism & Hospitality Industry Saturday, July 9th, 2011 Time: Full day, from 09:00 am 05:00 pm Venue: To be confirmed. Seats: Very limited, first come, first served. Fees Per-Course: JOD per course (for full package registration) JOD for individual course.

4 Courses Description 1. Meetings and Conferences Virtually every organization, from trade associations to government agencies, regularly holds large and small meetings. This course provides the basic tools to successfully plan and manage local, national and international meetings and conferences. Course information covers the basic competencies tested in the ISES Certified Special Events Professional (CSEP) and Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) examinations. Learn how to: Conduct thorough pre-event planning Identify an appropriate site and perform comprehensive site inspections Develop, analyze and project a budget Implement marketing strategies, including list development, brochure design, mailing cost reduction, and creative marketing Comply with legal requirements, including those specified by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and other key laws Recruit and train volunteers and staff for maximum performance Evaluate the effectiveness of an event 2. Destination Management Companies This course covers all aspects of the destination management profession and aims at helping both firsttime destination management consultants as well as the experienced professional. This course is designed to provide students with the tools to: Identify services destination management companies (DMC) offer to their clients Understand the nuts and bolts of all services DMC offer Utilize the necessary skills to support the production of a successful meeting, event or conference. 3. Tourism Destination Market Positioning & Branding Strategies This course offers a practical, intensive, idea-packed approach to positioning and branding tourism destinations. According to the UNWTO White Paper (2005), global destination brands and the life-enhancing ingredients of the travel experience are among key forces identified as major changes in the world economy and society affecting tourism. Indeed, the tourism market has seen a radical change in demand for the simply Sea, Sand and Sun products to demand for a unique, high-value visitor experience. In fact, visitors have become more demanding in terms of experience, quality, and price.

5 As a response, tourism destinations seek to differentiate themselves from other destinations by using effective positioning and branding strategies to communicate positive images to consumers. Strong country and city brands attract investment, manufacturing, political influence, tourism, world class events, talent and even aid. Many places spend significantly on advertising and media to enhance their potential in the world, but they can greatly benefit from marketing thinking that helps to uncover their best strengths and successfully transform their image. Countries, regions and cities need to compete in the global market by building their brands. Participants will learn how to: Use research to position a destination to reach targeted market segments in the highly competitive international marketplace Understand the relationships between a destination s positioning and branding strategy and its ongoing marketing program Develop a destination brand research program visitor imagery, profiles and information needs Understand the basic concept and components of a brand promise Create a brand blueprint and management approach Live the brand promise through stakeholder collateralization and partnerships Use marketing mix, cooperative marketing and E-Marketing systems to leverage the destination brand Employ benchmarking techniques to learn from successful destination branding or rebranding cases 4. E-marketing and Internet Applications for Tourism Business today is inextricably linked with technology. The Internet has rapidly become an essential tool for conducting business. Social media, e-marketing and the internet have become primary sources of revenue for many tourism businesses. Companies that exist only in cyberspace are emerging every day. Businesses must continue to refine how they use the internet to deliver and promote their products. E-marketing differs greatly from traditional forms of marketing. In order to launch a successful online marketing program, your organization must have an overall web strategy.

6 At the end of this course, participants will have the skills necessary for creating an effective online marketing strategy. The course begins by examining e-marketing, the advantages of web marketing, social media and the characteristics of a successful online marketing strategy. You will learn how to: Examine ROI (return on investment) Use the Internet for advertising and public relations Attract new business using e-marketing Understand social media opportunities and develop a strategy appropriate for your organization Evaluate e-marketing tools and measure their performance 5. Ecotourism, Protected Areas and Community Involvement This course provides the tools needed by tourism planners, conservationists, businesses and communities to work together to develop ecotourism plans and products that will attract and accommodate the ecotourist while conserving natural resources and benefiting local people. Designed to help you understand the unique structure of the ecotourism industry, the course provides the most recent information on ecotourism management approaches involving protected area managers working with the private sector to deliver quality visitor services. New forms of tourism --such as ecotourism, --can offer valued experiences to the traveler while providing a sustainable economic base and protecting the natural and cultural resources. Participants will learn how to: Understand the basic elements of ecotourism, the market and market trends Formulate ecotourism policies and strategies Design an environmental interpretation program Develop ecotourism standards Conduct comparative advantage exercises-- identify competitors, determine distinctive competencies, design routes, itineraries, events, and special interest potential Analyze and address the special needs of protected area managers and local communities to assess and improve the performance of ecotourism at the protected area site level, using a checklist developed by The Nature Conservancy. Measure and evaluate visitation impacts Develop trip circuits, travel packages and tour products that are safe and offer a wide variety of experiences offered through tour operators, destination management companies, the internet and other market access resources

7 6. Quality Customer Service for the Tourism & Hospitality Industry Knowledgeable travelers are demanding the best quality the tourism industry can provide. A competitive hospitality or tourism organization or business requires employees who (a) are committed to exceeding industry standards for quality service, (b) can perform effectively in a multicultural environment, and (c) can contribute creatively to addressing service challenges in the workplace. Consistent, predictable service quality translates into customer satisfaction and increased revenues from positive referrals to potential customers and repeat visits. Quality service training can also heighten employee satisfaction and positively influence employee retention. This will provide organizations, large and small, with a framework for providing world-class customer satisfaction. It will provide managers and supervisors with the tools and techniques required to achieve total customer satisfaction based on the study of exceptional companies in the US, Europe and Asia that are recognized for their innovative approaches to satisfying customers. This course is designed for managers, supervisors and vocational education/higher education instructors who would be in a position to train regular and temporary staff. Participants will learn how to: Understand the correlation between customer satisfaction and financial performance Identify customer expectations and preferences Integrate customer and employee feedback into customer satisfaction processes Develop service recovery mechanisms Calculate the cost of quality Apply benchmarking processes Achieve customer satisfaction through employee motivation and systems strategies Design effective customer loyalty programs in order to implement a world-class satisfaction program DMC Trainers Mrs. Sameera Qadoura Mr. Muath Sbeih Mr. Emad Salameh Mr. Nabil Tarazi

8 About JITOA The Jordan Inbound Tour Operators Association is a voluntary-membership organization comprised of active tour operator members and associate members (including hotels and hotel chains, Event Management Companies, NGO s, Buss Companies, educators, tour guides and others) with an interest in improving the quality of the visitor s experience in Jordan. JITOA and its membership are actively committed to raising the standards of the industry as a whole through the spread of Codes of Conduct, a Code of Ethics and by providing continuing education and advocacy support to the industry. Contact details: Mohammad Sbaih Education & Training Coordinator Jordan Inbound Tour Operators Association (JITOA) Tel (1): Tel (2): Cell: Fax: [email protected] P. O. Box: 3165 Amman, Jordan