Programme helps to give authentic taste of Tourism Aotearoa

20 July 2012

Programme helps to give authentic taste of Tourism Aotearoa

Tourism businesses wanting to be sure they are giving the authentic experience of New Zealand Aotearoa have a new training option.

The Aviation, Tourism and Travel Training Organisation (ATTTO) has this week launched its new Tourism Aotearoa programme. The new programme offers the perfect training for everyone wanting to improve their knowledge of New Zealand tourism within a uniquely Māori context.

Kathy Wolfe, ATTTO Chief Executive, said: “An increasing number of tourists are coming from new markets such as China and India, where people have a keen interest in history and indigenous culture.

“This programme enables all tourism operators and staff to gain a base knowledge of Māori customs and history and see how it relates to their businesses. It will give staff the confidence to know they are offering an authentic experience to customers looking for that extra dimension to their holiday.

“This programme offers a uniquely New Zealand approach to staff development and service delivery through understanding the visitor desire to experience Māori concepts, practice and culture and matching essential industry skills to enhance the customer’s overall experience.”

The Māori cultural units involved in the training resources enable trainees to improve their language abilities, gain a greater understanding of Māori communication as well as go deeper into the Māori philosophies and values on both physical and spiritual realms.

The course will also equip students with the skills to keep themselves and guests safe when talking about or entering sites of cultural significance.

Three distinct pathways have been developed for the programme to increase the relevance of the qualification, whether trainees are in customer service or management. There is also a separate option for those who have already gained the Kia Ora Mai Award, which fast-tracks them towards the completion of the qualification.

Trainees who successfully complete the programme will be awarded the National Certificate in Tourism Māori, level 3.

The 12 month programme is designed to be completed on-the-job, with trainees working through ATTTO resources to complete assessments.

For more information about the course and visit www.attto.org.nz

About ATTTO:

ATTTO is the industry training organisation for New Zealand’s aviation, tourism, travel and museums industries. Its role is to provide industry leadership on skill and training needs, set skills standards, and design and deliver world-class qualifications that meet industry needs.

ATTTO industry qualifications are designed to be completed on-the-job by people employed in our industries. Many can also be completed through training providers.

All ATTTO qualifications are nationally recognised and registered by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority on the New Zealand Qualifications Framework.

At 31 October 2011, there were more than 2,800 New Zealanders from 230 workplaces training towards national qualifications with ATTTO.

ENDS

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