The national Department of Tourism is conducting tourism service excellence initiative for 2010 and beyond by hosting training seminars in all nine provinces during the months of April to June 2010.
As part of the 2010 legacy project, the tourism sector, through its service excellence initiative seeks to improve South Africa's overall customer service at all service "touch points" in the sector with a view to transforming this country into a globally competitive service economy and the world's destination of choice.
"We are striving to give front line staff in the public and private sector, the tools to ensure they deliver world class customer service and convert foreign visitors into passionate brand advocates and proud South African ambassadors. We want to ensure that tourists return home with positive messages about our country," says Bulelwa Seti, Chief Director responsible for capacity building in the national Department of Tourism.
These seminars are one of the interventions to improve our service standards in the country.
The national Department of Tourism, in partnership with Tourism Business Council of South Africa and Federated Hospitality Association of South Africa (FEDHASA), is implementing a comprehensive service excellence training programme, targeting management and front line staff within the tourism value chain.
The value chain includes the public and private sector within the tourism industry, other affected government departments in the tourism value chain include the South African Police Service (SAPS), Home Affairs, Transport, the South African Revenue Service (SARS) as well as banking and retail sectors.
These Tourism Service Excellence Seminars are free of charge but, require pre registration either via the website: http://www.tsei.co.za, mobi site www.tsei.mobi or the toll free call centre on 0861 453 666 between 08h00 to 17h00, Monday to Friday.
This initiative aims to empower 250 000 front line staff to deliver on good customer service. The seminars will focus on topics which include service guidelines and behaviours, understanding the customer and why frontline staffs are critical in any organisation.
The duration of the tourism excellence initiative training seminars will be approximately three hours, and all delegates will be issued with badges, certificates of completion and service guidelines cards at the end of each training session.
Details of the Tourism Service Excellence Seminars in the Free State Province are as follows:
| Areas | Venue and capacity | Dates | Contact person | Contact details | Train the trainer |
| Mangaung | Botshabelo Arena | 20 May 2010 | Mr Charles Tshabalala | charlest@dteea.fs.gov.za | 27 May 2010(PM) |
| Mangaung | Botshabelo Arena | 21 May 2010 | Mr Charles Tshabalala | charlest@dteea.fs.gov.za | |
| QwaQwa | Old Parliament | 24 May 2010 | Mr Charles Tshabalala | charlest@dteea.fs.gov.za | |
| Kroonstad | Seiso Ville | 26 May 2010 | Mr Charles Tshabalala | charlest@dteea.fs.gov.za | |
| Mangaung | Vista Arena | 27 May 2010 | Mr Charles Tshabalala | charlest@dteea.fs.gov.za |
For more information contact:
Festy Nyamate, Josial Ramokoena or Lebogang Maloale
Tel: 051 400 9548 or 400 9550
Source: Department of Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs, Free State Provincial Government
