D & ID Update: June 2023

On May 10 and 17, Tourism Richmond hosted industry peers on two Familiarization (FAM) tours. The FAMs were hosted as a part of Tourism Richmond’s Front Line Ambassadors Program, to allow front line staff the opportunity to learn more about Richmond and collect their Tourism Challenge stamps. The FAM attendees consisted of staff from Destination Vancouver, CAL Travel and Tours, YVR Airport, North Vancouver Visitor Centre, Fairmont Pacific Rim, and many more.

What is the Front Line Ambassadors Program?

The Front Line Ambassadors program is intended to provide front line staff with the necessary resources and training to provide exemplary service to their guests. As part of the program, we developed a Certificate Program and Toolkit to provide staff opportunities to advance their destination knowledge through attending FAM tours, and destination training workshops. Additionally, front line staff will have access to guides, itineraries, and maps.

Who qualifies as front line staff?

• Hotel Employees
• Restaurant Employees
• Attraction Tour Guides and Interpreters
• Destination Management Organization Volunteers
• Visitor Servicing Representatives

To learn more about this program, please click here.

Tourism Challenge FAM Tours

Tourism Richmond partnered with Richmond attractions to highlight key visitor points of interest.  The tour was hosted on a 21-seater shuttle bus, in partnership with the City of Richmond’s Minoru Centre for Active Living.

The FAM Tour started with a visit to the Richmond Olympic Oval. Attendees were given a tour of the Richmond Olympic Experience (ROX) Museum, and the opportunity to try the various sports simulators.

The next stop on the tour was the Richmond Cultural Centre which is home to both the Richmond Art Gallery and Richmond Museum. Attendees were able to collect stamps from both attractions, as well as learn about the current exhibitions taking place.

After visiting the Richmond Culture Centre, attendees spent the afternoon in Steveston Village to visit the Gulf of Georgia Cannery NHS and Britannia Shipyards NHS, as well as complete the neighbourhood challenge.

The final stop on the tour was a visit to Lulu Island Winery. As a part of the Tourism Challenge, attendees were shown a video and provided with delicious wine tastings.

Thank you to all the Richmond attractions, the River Rock Casino Resort, and City of Richmond for partnering with Tourism Richmond and making these FAM tours happen. The tours were well received, and we are excited to host our industry peers again in 2024!