ASVA Event

Working in collaboration with Edinburgh Napier University, Robert Gordon University and the City of Glasgow College, ASVA is delighted to be hosting a new webinar on one of the most important issues facing attractions, that of attracting talent into sector.

The importance of staff in the delivery of a quality visitor attraction experience is undisputed. This new webinar will look at how visitor attractions and universities/colleges can work together more effectively to engage the future workforce. We’ll talk about the various ways that attractions and universities & colleges can work together, some of the barriers – both real and perceived – to engagement and some of the positive collaborations that have been experienced via a range of examples and case studies. The aim is to build mutual understanding of all our needs, break down some of the barriers and provide actionable content to allow you to better engage with and benefit from the incredible talent pull that exists within the student bodies at universities and colleges., many of whom who will be the future workforce for our sector.

Content for the webinar includes:

• Why the topic of engaging with the future workforce so important for us all
• What’s changed in recent years within universities and colleges
• An exploration of the various ways to interact with students, including placements, live projects, student projects, dissertations and, indeed, staff research projects.
• What the barriers to engagement are, or what they perceived to be and how these barriers can be overcome.
• Practical steps to building engagement with universities and colleges to invest in the future workforce
• Case studies from attraction operators and student examples
• Q&A

This is a very prescient webinar, as – with significant challenges in recruitment and retention of staff across much of the industry – it has never been more important for us to better understand how to reach out to and utilise a talent pool that is ready and eager to be engaged, and which has the potential to become future leaders within our sector.

The webinar will take place on Tuesday 16^th August at 10:30. To register your free place, please click here.

From hills and history to heather and haggis, many of Scotland’s visitor attraction brands have been shaped by the tastes and expectations of people from further afield.

The problem is, experts don’t expect international tourists to return to 2019 levels until 2024 or later. So where does that leave us now?

With an opportunity.

Building a stronger, more authentic connection between your brand and your community can help drive domestic visitor numbers, and boost your ability to attract and retain great staff.

In this webinar, we’ll give you the razor-sharp insights and ideas you need to carve a not-too-distant-future-proof brand. One that grabs the domestic audience without losing your grip on the international one. And one that stays true to the truth of your brand.

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Delivered in partnership with ASVA. the session will be led by Dave King, Head of Creative & Strategy at StudioLR.

StudioLR

Twice winners of The Marketing Society SME Agency of the year, StudioLR are the gutsy creative agency – grabbing people’s insides and making them interesting since 2004.

From strategy through to execution, they work with ambitious marketeers and leaders to build standout brands and campaigns with substance.

They work with a wide range of brands including Volvo, St James Quarter and Jura Whisky, and have extensive attraction experience with the likes of National Trust for Scotland, OnFife, Historic Environment Scotland, National Galleries of Scotland, the D-Day Story and the Mary Rose.

Dave King

Dave is a big show-off (his colleagues’ words!) who loves helping brands stand out. He’s also StudioLR’s Head of Creative & Strategy.

Addicted to learning, Dave has trained in brand and campaign strategy with global industry leaders including Marty Neumeier, Mark Pollard, Michael Johnson, and Mark Ritson. He is still open to learning from people who’s names don’t begin with M though.

A regular conference speaker on gutsy creative work, Dave created D&AD’s Bravery Masterclass which he delivers to some of the best agencies and in-house teams around the world.

With over a decade’s experience creating stand-out strategy and cut-through creative, Dave has delivered enduring value for clients in many sectors from Food & Drink to Tourism, Finance to Heavy Industry. And he’s won a shelf-full of awards along the way.

You can register to join us for this exclusive FREE ASVA member event here.

The one-day Train The Trainer course is designed to equip delegates to deliver our popular Exceeding Visitor Expectations course to staff within their own organisations. It offers a great way of enabling larger organisations to train their staff in-house, making it more cost effective and convenient. The course is aimed at people who already have experience of delivering training. Therefore, in  order to ensure that the training is effective for both those taking part and member organisations, we would anticipate those wishing to train as Exceeding Visitor Expectations trainers to:

• have attended the EVE course as a delegate first
• have experience of delivering training programmes to groups, in particular on customer service topics
• engage with learners at all levels
• possess excellent written and verbal communication skills
• use a variety of techniques to deliver course content eg. Group discussions, one-to-ones, participation, games/activities as well as audio visual equipment
• have a working knowledge of tourism and service sector businesses
• have a professional approach to training delivery

For any delegates booked to attend, we normally ask for a copy of your CV or an indication of your training/ mentoring experience for our records.

At your training you will receive information on how to access the course materials you will need when ready to deliver in house EVE workshops. However, please note that the per person cost for EVE workshop materials for each person attending your in house courses will be £30.

More information on the content of the standard EVE courses can be seen here.

 

With covid restrictions behind us and the main season now underway, we are keen to bring our members together to provide you with the opportunity to discuss how 2022 is shaping up for you, what trading conditions are like, what the key challenges you are facing now, what they will be going forward and what opportunities you see for your own business and for the sector this year. We are therefore delighted to invite you to attend our latest virtual ASVA Members’ Meet-Up on Tuesday 31 May

During the online event, which takes place from 10.30am to noon, our CEO Gordon Morrison will provide insights from the latest sector-wide survey, currently underway to gauge performance so far this year and prospects for the future. This will set the context for the meeting, but more importantly however, members attending will have the opportunity to share their own insights, ask questions and hear from peers about the challenges and opportunities both now and ahead.

On top of this, with membership renewals behind us and as the new Membership year gets underway, our Membership Manager, Helen Henderson, will provide am update on how you can ensure you make the most of your ASVA membership to capitalise on the many benefits it offers.

We are also pleased to advise that we will be joined by colleagues from VisitScotland who will provide an update on their activity to support the recovery of our sector and to provide information on how to best utilise the resources that are available from the national tourism organisation to support your business.

You can register to join our Members’ Meet-Up here.

On Tuesday 30th August we’ll be holding another essential industry webinar, this time in partnership with one of the biggest online operators in the business, FareHarbor. Creative consultant Stewart Darroch and account executive Matthew Houston will host this highly interactive session, focussing on the importance of mobile-friendly bookings in driving sales and operational optimisation. They will provide best practice advice and guidance on how to capitalise on the fact that 75% of consumers use their mobile devices when booking experiences and activities, exploring key topics including:

• QR codes
• Customer experience
• Value-add for business
• Operational benefits
• Examples of mobile-friendly websites

Stewart and Matthew have a wealth of experience creating solutions, through a collaborative approach, for a wide range of operators. The session promises to be informative, insightful and interactive, using QR codes and polls to get real-time reactions from attendees. At the end of the webinar, a Q & A session will provide the opportunity to quiz Stewart and Matthew on the value-add of mobile! This promises to be a highly practical and relevant webinar, with expert advice provided on how you can innovate your business further and identify possible new revenue streams.

About FareHarbor: Founded in 2013 in Hawaii and acquired by Booking Holdings in 2018, FareHarbor fuels the experiences of the travel industry by providing tour operators with simple online booking solutions. Their mission is to make experiences better for everyone and they achieve this creating powerful tools that enable their clients to operate and grow. They work globally with over 19,000 activity and tourism providers and have a wealth of experience and knowledge to share with ASVA members.

To take advantage of this great free session providing specialist business-boosting guidance, book your place here.

The webinar will take place on Tuesday 30th August at 10:30am (please note that this event has been rescheduled from earlier in the year). 

 

We’re delighted to once again be able to offer our acclaimed Exceeding Visitor Expectations training course, which is designed specifically for frontline staff at visitor attractions.

This result-driven, highly relevant one-day course has a proven record of success – many of Scotland’s leading attractions have already taken advantage of it to boost their business performance and competitive edge by enhancing the quality of their visitor offering.

Exceeding Visitor Expectations has been created and crafted to equip customer-facing staff with the specialist skills and insights they need to deliver the very highest standards of service – ensuring every visitor enjoys a truly outstanding experience. Developed in conjunction with VisitScotland, the content is aligned with its Visitor Attraction Quality Scheme, to enable participants to support their attraction in meeting and surpassing the standards of 5-star service, hospitality and friendliness that are measured during a quality assurance assessment. Key areas covered can be seen below, and more information can be found here:

• Identify what your attraction and the area where you work has to offer;
• Understand who your visitors are and what the need and expect;
• Meet, manage and, whenever possible, exceed visitor expectations;
• Welcome visitors from all sections of the community and provide an accessible service;
• Communicate successfully with visitors;
• Use product/ destination knowledge to provide information and advice in an inspiring way;
• Deal effectively with challenging situations;
• Act as an ambassador for your attraction and local area.

Renowned skills development expert Catherine Bowie of Communicate Consultants will lead the training. Catherine is highly experienced in coaching sector team members and providing tailored guidance to enable them to fulfil the potential of their roles, enhancing visitor engagement and satisfaction. This empowers staff, honing their communications skills and building their confidence to help them handle any situation and act as a great ambassador for your attraction.

This event will be held at the Stirling Highland Hotel, located centrally in Stirling.

We’re delighted to once again be able to offer our acclaimed Exceeding Visitor Expectations training course, which is designed specifically for frontline staff at visitor attractions.

This result-driven, highly relevant one-day course has a proven record of success – many of Scotland’s leading attractions have already taken advantage of it to boost their business performance and competitive edge by enhancing the quality of their visitor offering.

Exceeding Visitor Expectations has been created and crafted to equip customer-facing staff with the specialist skills and insights they need to deliver the very highest standards of service – ensuring every visitor enjoys a truly outstanding experience. Developed in conjunction with VisitScotland, the content is aligned with its Visitor Attraction Quality Scheme, to enable participants to support their attraction in meeting and surpassing the standards of 5-star service, hospitality and friendliness that are measured during a quality assurance assessment. Key areas covered can be seen below, and more information can be found here:

• Identify what your attraction and the area where you work has to offer;
• Understand who your visitors are and what the need and expect;
• Meet, manage and, whenever possible, exceed visitor expectations;
• Welcome visitors from all sections of the community and provide an accessible service;
• Communicate successfully with visitors;
• Use product/ destination knowledge to provide information and advice in an inspiring way;
• Deal effectively with challenging situations;
• Act as an ambassador for your attraction and local area.

Renowned skills development expert Catherine Bowie of Communicate Consultants will lead the training. Catherine is highly experienced in coaching sector team members and providing tailored guidance to enable them to fulfil the potential of their roles, enhancing visitor engagement and satisfaction. This empowers staff, honing their communications skills and building their confidence to help them handle any situation and act as a great ambassador for your attraction.

This event will be held at Edinburgh Zoo, in the Mansion House.

 

We are delighted to present an exciting new networking opportunity for all members with an interest in or responsibility for HR within their organisations. In partnership with leading legal experts Anderson Strathern, ASVA will be hosting our inaugural Members HR Forum on Tuesday 26 April 2022.

The main objective of the forum is to build stronger relationships and create a useful peer to peer network between those responsible for HR within their organisations. Our vision is that participants will be able to have open discussions, share best practice and offer support and guidance to each other when needed.

The group will be chaired by Douglas Walker, Commercial & HR Director at Our Dynamic Earth (and, of course, ex-ASVA Chair) and will feature updates from the expert team at Anderson Strathern –Barry Nicol, Partner and Emily Campbell, Solicitor – on the hot HR topics of the day, providing participants with all the ‘must have’ information they need to successfully undertake their HR obligations.

The forums are for anyone involved in HR in their roles, regardless of job title. You do not need to be a dedicated HR professional to take part, all with an HR remit in their role are welcome, or indeed an interest in the topic of HR in visitor attractions.

Our first forum will take place on Zoom on Tuesday 26 April at 10:30am, with Anderson Strathern providing ‘need to know’ guidance and advice on the following topics:

• Return to work, given the new Scottish Government guidance
• Government reform on Flexible working
• Menopause and the workplace
• Sexual Harassment at work
• New UK Employment Bill

The forum will last for 1.5 hours, with dedicated time in each meeting for members to raise any burning HR issues they may have.

To sign up for the inaugural HR Forum, please click here.

• Managing customer perceptions – how do you deal with the difficult questions?
• The benefits of being responsive to local conditions and implementing automated responses
• Connecting with guests before, during and after their visit to optimise repeat footfall
• How AI and data driven approaches can add significant value to the bottom line
• Streamlining and digitising the guest experience
• Identifying the impact of personalised marketing at different stages of engagement
• Maximising next generation ecommerce opportunities

Join us on Tuesday 1^st February for this exciting webinar which will enable our community of attraction operators to learn more about the new world of Virtual and Hybrid Tourism in the Metaverse. The Metaverse is the next big thing with some commentators believing that the metaverse economy will eventually be bigger than the real-world economy. This webinar provides ASVA members with the opportunity to understand and embrace the undoubted opportunities it will open up to our sector.

The event will introduce you to new technologies, approaches and ideas to customer engagement and storytelling that the likes of Disney, Barbados Tourism and Seoul City in Korea are pioneering. To deliver the session, we’re delighted to be partnering with ASVA members, New Frontier, who develop cost-effective, environmentally-aware solutions for the tourism market and also provide consultancy services.

According to data, 26% of visitors (with the figure rising rapidly) look for virtual experiences as a way of making decisions on destinations and of personalising experiences when visiting. This growing trend makes the Metaverse a key direction of travel for the tourism industry and Outlook 2030.

Our webinar will share insights into:

• What is the metaverse and why does it matter?
• The rise of collaboration and cooperation for digital tourism
• The physical, virtual and hybrid approaches to Metaverse implementation
• A look at the early adopters in Metaverse Tourism
• How the physical and digital world can be combined to create interactive, personalised experiences and deliver creative storytelling
• A live demonstration of the Metaverse and the technology behind it
• An example of how this technology can be applied in Scotland today

The session will be delivered by New Frontier Directors Graeme Stevens and Joel Anton. Graeme has been involved in the evolution of the Metaverse since 2016. Before setting up his business, he was a researcher and investor in the Metaverse arena. In 2021, his business secured a partnership with Enjin, a $2bn company that is at the heart of building the Metaverse.

As the UK’s first-ever Tourism in the Metaverse business leaders, Graeme and Joel will be able to answer all your questions about how to get started – from dipping your toe to full-scale enterprise adoption!

The webinar, being held on Tuesday 1 February from 10.30am to 11.30am, is an exclusive FREE event for ASVA members. To join us, please register here.

This one day workshop is designed to help tourism businesses with their recovery from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Delegates will learn new communications and sales skills to help enhance customer service delivery and re-build income streams. Successful consumer experiences are the product of creating and delivering engaging and memorable stories. Stories effortlessly transform consumers into ambassadors; generating repeat visits, recommendations and increased secondary spend.

Complete Storytelling is a highly motivational workshop that breaks down the fears and boundaries that prohibit truly effective communication. This is achieved through teaching and practicing practical methods in a safe, supported and inspiring environment. Using performance techniques, the experienced trainers will hone participant’s skills in Body Language and Voice by teaching tried and tested tips and tricks used regularly by actors and presenters.

Over the course of the training, attendees will learn how the power of your story can motivate staff, create exceptional consumer experiences and generate income in a COVID secure environment. Attendees will be taught how to use storytelling to engage, sell and create brand loyalty.

Workshop Content:
Theory

• Why do we tell stories?
• The impact of stories
• The 6 essential stories
• The 3 vital uses for stories in business
• Your business stories
• Story structure
• Communication styles
• The importance of stories in a pandemic

Practical:

• Body language
• Vocal technique
• Stagecraft
• Communicating in a mask
• Working with text
• Storytelling hacks
• Practice in a safe environment
• Individual Feedback

Previous participants of this course have ranged from volunteers to CEOs, and everything in between. A little apprehension pre workshop is normal, increased confidence, positivity and new tricks up your sleeve post workshop is standard.

Find out more about what the course involves here. The course is delivered by training and storytelling experts from Complete Works.

Cost: The delegate fee is £50, inclusive of VAT.

Venue:  This event will be held in Edinburgh, at Edinburgh Zoo.