A new training programme has been released ahead of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, offering 7,000 free places to help West Midlands tourism businesses prepare to deliver an unrivalled visitor experience at every point.

The free ‘Getting Games Ready’ training programme aims to equip up to 7,000 visitor-facing employees with the skills and knowledge to create positive experiences and set the West Midlands apart as a destination. It is part of the Business and Tourism Programme, a three-year initiative which aims to use the high profile of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games to attract more international and domestic tourists to the region, and to bring more major events to the West Midlands and wider UK.

2.5 million people are expected to engage with the Birmingham 2022 Festival this summer, with a further 1.2 million people experiencing the Games themselves. This will undoubtedly put the West Midlands on the global stage. It’s an opportunity for local businesses to deliver a world-class experience and benefit from positive reviews, repeat custom and increased sales.

The training uses the foundations of the globally recognised WorldHost customer service programme, which has been used to train hundreds of thousands of people for events including the London 2012 Olympics, Rugby World Cup 2015 and the Golf Open 2019. The Getting Games Ready programme will help participants to:

• Highlight the very best of West Midlands destinations
• Provide a warm, knowledgeable, and inclusive welcome
• Share tips about Birmingham 2022 and the Birmingham 2022 Festival
• Provide up-to-date, accurate and accessible information to visitors
• Promote the West Midlands as a place to visit, stay, and invest in.

Andrew Lovett OBE, Chair of the West Midlands Regional Board for Tourism, said: “The Getting Games Ready programme is an important – and free – tool for local businesses to access ahead of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, allowing visitor-facing staff to enhance customer service skills and local knowledge of the West Midlands.

“This training will ensure that the experiences of visitors to Birmingham and the West Midlands are positive and memorable, encouraging people to return and enjoy our region’s great visitor attractions and world-class hospitality time and again.”

The programme is available now, is easily accessible via e-learning on most internet-enabled devices, and takes approximately three hours to complete. Businesses that train more than 80 per cent of front-line staff using the programme will also be eligible to apply for Getting Games Ready Business Recognition. To find out more about the programme, about the business recognition scheme and to secure free places for your employees, visit the Getting Games Ready website.

To find out more about how Think Sandwell can help you find the right people and develop your staff, visit our training and recruitment page.