Recruiting for Visitor Information Centres

TOURISM, CULTURE AND HERITAGE--Recruiting for Visitor Information Centres

Nova Scotia's Department of Tourism, Culture and Heritage is now recruiting for seasonal jobs at visitor information centres throughout the province.

Staff are needed for various front-line positions between May and October. The application deadline for most positions is Feb. 15.

"Visitor information centres are one of the first points of contact for many visitors to Nova Scotia," said Rodney MacDonald, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Heritage. "Travel counsellors are our front-line ambassadors. Their ability to help a visitor creates a lasting impression that is critical to the success of our industry."

More than 700,000 visitors dropped in to Nova Scotia's visitor information centres in 2002. A total of 1,800 visitors were surveyed at the centres that year. Nearly all those questioned in the random sample found that visitor centre staff were knowledgeable and helpful. Fifty-eight per cent of the people surveyed said they learned about and took part in a previously unknown event or attraction, and 70 per cent reported they would consider returning to the province. Other surveys have shown that when travellers visit a centre, they tend to stay in the province longer. That means more revenue for businesses across the province.

Suitable candidates for the visitor centre positions must have leadership, communication, customer service and sales skills. Tourism-related experience is an asset, along with first aid training and command of other languages.

Job descriptions and application forms are available on the Nova Scotia government website at www.gov.ns.ca , under the employment opportunities section. For more information or to apply, contact the Department of Tourism, Culture and Heritage at 902-424-3225, or by mail, Visitor Services, P.O. Box 456, Halifax, NS B3J 2R5.

Visitor information centres are located in Amherst, Digby, Halifax, Halifax International Airport, Peggy's Cove, Pictou, Port Hastings, Yarmouth, and in Portland and Bar Harbor, Maine.

Nova Scotia's $1.29-billion tourism industry provides jobs for more than 33,400 Nova Scotians and is a significant source of export dollars.