Dutchess Tourism, Inc. announced the launch of their new Dutchess Tourism Ambassador Program Thursday, August 4, 2022, when 21 individuals became Certified Tourism Ambassadors™ (CTAs) after completing the inaugural course and exam. The certification training was held at Dutchess Community College’s Poughkeepsie campus. The CTA program is an industry-recognized certification accredited through the Tourism Ambassador Institute®.
To develop a curriculum specifically for Dutchess County, Dutchess Tourism worked with Mickey Schaefer, CAE, CTA, founder of the Tourism Ambassador Institute® and president of Mickey Schaefer & Associates LLC. Administered at the local level, CTA is the only program to give an official designation to front-line employees, business owners, executives, government officials, and volunteers.
Designed to increase the economic impact from tourism in the county, the CTA program works by inspiring front-line employees and volunteers to turn every visitor and resident encounter into an exceptional experience. The most comprehensive tourism and service delivery program of its kind, it will positively affect the county’s tourism industry through front-line training and certification for hotels, attractions, events, restaurants, and other assets in Dutchess County. CTA programs have proven they strengthen talent retention and development in the hospitality space leading to improvements in customer satisfaction ratings and employee team morale. More than 56,000 individuals in the U.S. and Bermuda have been certified since the program’s inception in 2006.
“We are so excited to bring this program to our community and appreciate the investment and support of County Executive Molinaro and the members of the County Legislature,” said Dutchess Tourism President and CEO Melaine Rottkamp. “Our CTAs will have the tools and knowledge necessary to help visitors have an exceptional experience in our county. Those visitors will often tell their friends and family, share on social media, write positive reviews and even plan return trips to Dutchess.”
Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro added, “Tourism continues to play a critical role in driving economic recovery and growth. When visitors have a positive experience, we know they stay longer and spend more. Everyone benefits – the visitor, the industry, the local economy, and most importantly, the front-line worker. This workforce training program empowers our residents to develop valuable skills to help them land hospitality jobs, increase their value status as employees and climb the career ladder to higher paying jobs.”
“Destination marketing and strategic planning often exclude the most important ingredient – the area’s People Infrastructure,” said Schaefer. “Placemaking, destination development, and brand alignment are best accomplished through a constant strategic connection among destination leaders, business stakeholders, residents, and the front-line that make it happen. We applaud Dutchess Tourism’s forward thinking and being ahead of other destinations in bringing this prestigious certification program to its community.” Currently, Dutchess County is the only destination in the northeast offering this highly specialized hospitality workforce training.
Upcoming Dutchess Tourism Ambassador certification classes will be offered on the following dates:
Thursday, September 8, 8 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., Southern Dutchess
Thursday, September 22, 8 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., Central Dutchess
Thursday, October 6, 8 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., Northern Dutchess
Wednesday, October 19, 8 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., Eastern Dutchess
Wednesday, November 2, 8 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., Central Dutchess
Tuesday, November 15, 8 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., Southern Dutchess
Wednesday, November 30, 8 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., Northern Dutchess
Groups of 20 or more can contact Dutchess Tourism to schedule additional dates and times at their location.
The Dutchess Tourism Ambassador Program costs $25 per person. Discount coupon codes and tuition assistance are available. The program was paid for by Dutchess County government through an American Rescue Plan (ARP) grant to Dutchess Tourism, Inc. Dutchess County residents and employees wishing to participate can sign up to express their interest here. Please contact Valerie Ubriaco, consumer services and tourism programs manager, at valerie@dutchesstourism.com for details.
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About Dutchess Tourism
Dutchess Tourism, Inc., the officially designated destination marketing organization for Dutchess County, is accredited by the Destination Marketing Accreditation Program (DMAP) of Destinations International. As a 501c6 non-profit organization, it works to bring tourism dollars to area businesses and the community by marketing and promoting the assets of Dutchess County to the nation and the world. The office is located at 3 Neptune Road in the Town of Poughkeepsie with 17 Tourist Information Centers located around Dutchess County. The website is DutchessTourism.com and they can be reached at 845-463-4000. Dutchess Tourism, Inc. is partially funded by monies received from the County of Dutchess.
About Tourism Ambassador Institute®
Over 50,000 CTAs have been certified since the founding of the Tourism Ambassador Institute® (TAI) in 2006. TAI licenses and accredits local Accredited Providers, often destination marketing organizations (DMOs), to offer the Certified Tourism Ambassador™ (CTA) program at the local level. There are more than 13,000 current CTAs in 32 programs in the U.S. and Bermuda. CTAs work in retail, restaurants, lodging, government, nonprofits, hospitals, real estate, and other settings. TAI was founded by industry veteran Mickey Schaefer, CAE, CTA, who has been named five times to the 25 Most Influential in the Meetings Industry by Meetings News/Successful Meetings. Find more information at CTAnetwork.com.
