Lasting legacy of tourism training

More than 60,000 people are expected to visit New Zealand during the Rugby World Cup and ensuring they have a positive experience will be a priority for the tourism industry.

To meet that need the Ministry of Tourism has put up $440,000 for an essential skills programme to train the 10,000 extra workers expected to be employed in the lead up to the cup.

The Tourism Industry Association (TIA), which represents hundreds of businesses across the country, began a push for the programme after research found employers were confused by the proliferation of local courses.

TIA chief executive Tim Cossar says the programme will aim to provide a single recognisable industry endorsed entry level standard.

"Visitors are vitally important to New Zealand's economy. The tourism, hospitality and broader service sector relies on people with the right skills and attitude to deliver a world-class experience to visitors and customers."

Cossar says the new programme will establish a "people legacy" that will provide lasting benefits to the tourism industry.

"It is also aimed at ensuring when major events such as Rugby World Cup 2011 take place, we have the people available with the right skills and attitude to deliver a world-class experience to visitors and customers."

The TIA is working closely with six service industry training bodies to set up the three-month on-the-job qualification which is expected to be firmed up and ready to go by October.

Elizabeth Valentine, chief executive of the Aviation, Tourism, Travel and Museums Training Organisation (ATTTO) which is one of the six involved, says the qualification will be suitable for high school students and leavers as well as those who have just started out in the industry.

"It will be used to train up a basic pool of people."

Around 4000 of the 10,000 are expected to be volunteers.

Some of the training will also focus on staff who work at i-sites - information centres around the country.

"They will be brought up to speed on their local tourism offerings as well as the Maori history of their local area."

Valentine says it's all about giving visitors a uniquely Kiwi experience.

Hospitality Standards Institute chief executive Steve Hanrahan expects around 1500 to 2000 people in the hospitality industry to be trained up on the new course each year.

While the goal of training 10,000 by Rugby World Cup will be a challenge, he says it is a realistic goal given there are six bodies to split it between.

A tender for who will provide the qualification will go out in six weeks time but polytechnics and private institutions are expected to be the main contenders.

"What we are aiming to do when visitors come from overseas is to ensure we have got a message going across the industry about giving people a really good experience."

That message is vital to ensuring those people come back again and tell others from their home countries to also come, Hanrahan says.