Island Ambassadors Program
Tourism Loyalty for Hilton Head Island is the goal of the Island Ambassador Program. Research shows that knowledgeable professionals provide quality guest experiences which result in return visits. As Educators, we understand the strength of knowledge and combining that with our passion for Hilton Head Island, we created a three part Island Ambassador Program. Our seminars focus on Island Knowledge, Island Culture and Island Ecology – topics guests frequently inquire about while visiting our beautiful island. Our focus is preserving Hilton Head Island as a world class vacation destination.
Island Knowledge:
From the first sightings of our beautiful Island, to the latest fiscal statistics - professionals will gain valuable knowledge that will help them understand and appreciate our unique Island attributes allowing them to better serve the tourism needs of guests.
Island Culture:
The culture of Hilton Head Island is vast and diverse. Understanding its beginnings, development and direction will allow Hospitality Professionals to share our rich culture with guests ensuring an authentic Hilton Head Island experience.
Island Ecology:
From the gentle ocean waves to the pluff mud of the marshes, Island Ecology is fascinating to guests and Professionals with this knowledge are better able to answer questions and share our unique Island Ecosystems.
Scheduling
The Center aims to make this easy. The Center can come to you or teach at our new hospitality campus on Hilton Head Island. The Center provides the program at no cost to its partners. The program is funded by Accommodations Taxes administered through and in cooperation with the Town of Hilton Head Island. Send us an email at clhe@uscb.edu to schedule your next Island Ambassador Program session.
Successes
In 2017, research professionals from Clemson University evaluated the Island Ambassador Program and found it to be an exceptional program.
Here is what they found:
This study found that tourism ambassador programs across the U.S. were typically organized and conducted by destination managers or marketers as part of a convention and visitor bureau. The Island Ambassador Program is unique in that three professional educators, (e.g., university faculty members) create and deliver the program. Only one other existing program had a connection with a university; the authors of this study believes this is a strong asset to ambassador program in that it provides an important link between industry and higher education.
The Island Ambassador Program was the most comprehensive program identified in this project as most tourism ambassador programs focus on attractions, the importance of tourism to the economy, and providing high quality customer service; CLHE’s program does this, but also builds relationships, empowers participants, and builds a sense of community around the Hilton Head Island tourism workforce.
Hilton Head Business managers interviewed in this that have participated in the Island Ambassador Program noted the following benefits of the IAP: the program helps their employees exceed customer expectations as a mainstay piece of orientation programs; provides knowledge about the destination that is critical to the workforce that may come to the island without any prior knowledge of what makes Hilton Head unique; empowers participants to engage at a higher level with guests; supports the workers themselves, increasing their pride in their new (often temporary) home.
