Minister Dr Stephen Farry commends WorldHost training at Lough Neagh

Employment and Learning Minister Dr Stephen Farry today presented employees with Worldhost training accreditations at the Lough Neagh Discovery Centre, Oxford Island, Craigavon.

Up to 34 employees from a range of service and hospitality sectors received the award at an event organized by the Lough Neagh Partnership. The awards presentation event coincided with World Tourism Day.

WorldHost Training is an internationally renowned customer service training programme and provides training for front-line staff in the hospitality, tourism and passenger transport sectors.

Highlighting the importance of high quality customer service, the Minister said: “Northern Ireland’s tourism sector has experienced an exciting time. We have had unprecedented opportunities over the last year to put Northern Ireland on the map and to generate future tourism business. From the moment tourists arrive, we want them to have the ultimate customer service experience. The WorldHost Programme helps to support businesses in delivering excellent levels of customer service, and to reaffirm the message that Northern Ireland is a great place to visit.”

The Northern Ireland Tourist Board, the sector skills council People 1st, and the Department for Employment and Learning are working in close partnership to provide WorldHost customer service training in Northern Ireland. The initiative aims to help businesses improve customer service skills in a range of industries including the tourism, hospitality, leisure and passenger transport sectors.

The Minister concluded: “I commend these employees on their achievement. WorldHost is an excellent example of how upskilling Northern Ireland’s workforce can make a real difference. This programme is positive news for the local Lough Neagh economy and WorldHost provides a great opportunity to help those in tourist-related businesses prepare to showcase the area, its people and places to the world. I welcome that, through my Department’s Skills Solutions Service, your businesses were able to improve the skill set of your employees.”

Speaking at the event Howard Hastings, Northern Ireland Tourism Board, Chairman said: “NITB is promoting the WorldHost Destination Commitment to Customer Service Excellence throughout Northern Ireland. This presents a unique opportunity for hospitality, tourism, leisure and retail businesses to showcase the best of Northern Ireland and increase sales by providing a warm welcome and impeccable service to visitors. I would like to thank the Lough Neagh Partnership for their dedication and commitment to driving forward its development to become a WorldHost Destination.”

Eimear Kearney, Marketing Manager at Lough Neagh Partnership, said: “As the newest Visitor Destination in Northern Ireland, at Lough Neagh our focus is on providing our visitors with a visible mark showing our commitment to excellence throughout their visit. We are dedicated to putting the largest inland lake in the United Kingdom and Ireland firmly on the WorldHost map, showing the outside world our loyalty to offering the best possible service to all who visit Lough Neagh and its waterways. It is exciting to be the first destination in Northern Ireland to formally pledge our commitment to driving world class service delivery standards with a WorldHost training roadshow throughout our seven council areas.”