Media
Release
Monday
23rd
of September
Munster Vales in
partnership with Tipperary Heritage Office and the Irish Walled Town
Network delivered a three day bespoke tour guide training programme
to stakeholders of the Irish Walled Towns Network and Munster Vales.
Through working with the businesses in the region over the last two years it became clear that offering guided tours to visitors in our town and villages was a service that was limited. Responding to the demand from local communities and those planning to set up new businesses in this area Munster Vales worked with the Heritage Office of Tipperary County Council to create a tailor made training course to meet the needs identified
The focus of the course was to develop product awareness, tour guiding management skills and tour script development skills. A number of workshops took place in three of the Walled Town locations throughout Munster Vales; Buttevant, Co Cork, Kilmallock, Co Limerick and Fethard, Co Tipperary. The tour guide training was delivered by Roisin Burke of Abarta Heritage who enabled participants of the tour guide training programme to develop their skills in the following areas;(i) Communications,(ii) Customer Service, (iii) Tour Guiding Skills and Standards, (iv) Tour and Time Management,(v) Health & Safety,(vi) Tour Script Development
The tour guide programme proved very enjoyable as Roisín O Grady Heritage Officer with Tipperary County Council acknowledged ‘The Munster Vales region is rich with natural and built heritage and no one can tell the story of an area like a local person can. With programmes like this we hope to upskill people on the ground who can share these stories effectively with their communities and visitors alike. Bringing 3 counties together aims to create awareness of the broader region and bring like minded people together who can learn from shared experiences or collaborate in the future. The tour guide training was designed with specific reference to the stories of the Munster Vales and Irish Walled Towns. The course was delivered in an interactive way with participation encouraged throughout the course.
Participants of the course received certificates for tour guide training by, The Cathaoirleach of Tipperary County Council Cllr Michael Murphy at ICA Hall, Fethard, Co Tipperary.
