Sign up for scheme to boost tourism in Northumberland

A wide-ranging programme of one-day courses which aims to increase tourism in Northumberland starts next month.
Alnwick Castle is one of Northumberland's iconic spots.Alnwick Castle is one of Northumberland's iconic spots.
Alnwick Castle is one of Northumberland's iconic spots.

Know Your Northumberland is designed to inspire anyone who works or volunteers in a visitor-facing environment to turn every visitor encounter into a positive experience. The courses give valuable destination product knowledge to anyone working on the front-line of the tourism industry.

Delegates who attend three courses will achieve a bronze accreditation, while those who take part in five courses will be rewarded with a silver certificate. Seven or more courses will earn a gold-level diploma, along with the title Northumberland Ambassador, and a quality mark to add to websites and other promotional materials.

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A Know Your Northumberland spokeswoman said: "It’s the fun, interesting and stimulating experiences that visitors have which encourage them to return again and again. Working at the front-line of the tourism industry, it’s your knowledge and expertise that makes the difference, your ability to recommend a great attraction or activity to try helps to shape the short breaks and holidays of thousands of visitors to Northumberland each year.

"These courses give valuable destination product knowledge to anyone working on the front-line. You can improve your knowledge of this truly wonderful and diverse county, plus gather and unlock some of Northumberland’s secrets and treasures. Enrolling on a programme of one-day courses will increase your knowledge of the history, culture and tourism offer across Northumberland, which you can then pass onto your visitors. Travelling by coach with a blue-badge guide, we will visit some of Northumberland's well and lesser-known attractions and places of interest. Each participant will receive a booklet of information after each course which provides information on the area they have covered, this builds up to produce a Know Your Northumberland file."

Each course costs £10 and the dates for 2016 are Tuesday, March 1, South East Northumberland; Tuesday, March 15, Morpeth, Kirkley and A696 corridor; Wednesday, April 13, Berwick and Northumberland coast; Tuesday, April 19, Alnwick, Rothbury and surrounding area; Tuesday, April 26, Hexham & Hadrian's Wall Corridor; Thursday, May 5, Bellingham and Kielder; Thursday, May 12, Cheviots and Uplands; Wednesday, May 18, North Pennines. To find out more information about each course, including the itinerary, click here.

For more information or to make a booking, email tourismdevelopment@activenorthumberland.org.uk or contact Sarah Davidson, Senior Visitor Information and Infrastructure Officer for Active Northumberland, by calling 01670 622567 or emailing sdavidson@activenorthumberland.org.uk