Maryville, Tenn. — Bringing the finer points of Blount County tourism development to the classroom is the task of the Blount Partnership’s Director of Tourism Kim Mitchell as she serves as a guest lecturer for an Alcoa High School marketing class Sept. 15, 17-18.
The purpose of the sessions is to increase the Partnership’s outreach within the community, while training those interested in the service or tourist fields about the area and why it is a great place to visit.
“I am so excited to have the opportunity to take this program to a group of individuals that are interested in the service and tourist fields and show them the skills it takes to make every visitor to our area feel special and that we are so happy they chose Blount County for their trip,” said Mitchell. “This is a great learning tool for now and their future endeavors. Great customer service is needed in all fields and we have the chance to give the next generation of tourism ambassadors’ tools to present themselves and our county in the best light.”
The class, geared towards educating youth thinking about pursuing a career in tourism, is one of the pillars the Blount Partnership’s Blount Tourism Ambassador Program (BTAP) is based upon. BTAP is a multi-faceted program that serves to increase tourism by inspiring front-line employees and volunteers to turn every visitor encounter into a positive experience. Statistics show when visitors have a positive experience they are more likely to return in the future and also share their experience with others. The benefits are fourfold as the visitor, industry, economy and the front-line worker each take something away from the experience.
“Tourism is about creating experiences,” said Mitchell. “Front-line workers can have the biggest impact on making a visitor’s trip to Blount County the best it can be.”
Having attended a BTAP class last year, Alcoa High School marketing teacher Joy Gornto, walked away realizing the benefits that could be afforded her students.
“Many of our students have jobs in the service industry and could benefit from this additional training,” said Gornto. “This is an opportunity for our marketing program to partner with the local community and really make an impact with tourism. While my students can learn about theory every day in the classroom, this is an opportunity for them to make an immediate impact when they walk out the school doors and put their learning to practical application.”
Gornto also stated that the one of the goals for the class is to show how they can make a difference in the community by helping impact our economy through tourism efforts.
“I am very excited that the Blount Partnership is extending this opportunity for our students and I am looking forward to seeing how these young adults help shape the future of tourism,” said Gornto.
About Blount Partnership
The Blount Partnership is the key economic development agency for Blount County. It represents three advancement entities for the community: Blount Chamber of Commerce, Economic Development Board of Blount County and the Smoky Mountain Tourism Development Authority. The organization provides opportunities for small businesses, corporate locations, manufacturing, technology commercialization, leisure travel and corporate retreats. The goal is to ensure the community continues to enjoy a robust economy and opportunities to live an unrivaled quality of life. The Blount Partnership is used by the state of Tennessee as a benchmark for combining community resources and programming to support a shared economic development goal. For more information, contact the Blount Partnership at 201 S. Washington St., Maryville, TN 37804 or call 865.983.2241 or www.BlountPartnership.com