If a tourist walked into your business and asked about local history, would you know the answers?

The Fayetteville (NC) Observer

By Andrew Barksdale
Staff writer

It's a daunting question that hotel clerks and restaurant servers hear all the time: Is there anything to do around here?

Out-of-town visitors don't always get much of an answer - or worse, their question is met with a blank stare or shrug.

Cumberland County tourism officials want to change that by educating workers in the hospitality industry about local lore and attractions. They say people who deal with the public should have a ready response when asked about having fun in Fayetteville .

A new program - believed to be a first in North Carolina - will kick off next month with half-day workshops that cost $35 per person. Participants will read a 192-page textbook on area trivia and attractions in advance, then attend the workshop and take an open-book exam. If they pass, they become what local officials are calling "certified tourism ambassadors," and they'll join a national network dedicated to improving customer service.

John Meroski, president of the Fayetteville Area Convention & Visitors Bureau, said the program is aimed at the county's estimated 4,100 workers at hotels, restaurants, car rental companies and taxi services who interact with the public on a regular basis. The visitors bureau is organizing the program.

Consider the power of public relations within the lodging industry alone: An average of 160,000 visitors stay in Cumberland County each month.  "We want them to have a good experience when they leave and to share that with others," Meroski said.

If a guest gets a good tip on which museums to visit or attractions to see, the trip would be more memorable, Meroski said.

"We all should be ambassadors to our community," he said.

One section of the textbook is called "cool" trivia about Fayetteville . The tallest building in Fayetteville ? The 11-story Systel building. What does "Skibo" mean, as in Skibo Road ? It's a Celtic term meaning fairyland or place of peace.  And did you know that in 1974, two Fort Bragg soldiers were fined for streaking down Hay Street in nothing but combat boots?

Other tidbits explain the history of shagging and clogging and why soldiers wear different colors of berets. The book deals extensively with customer service and the importance of being positive with visitors. (Don't say: "Everything shuts down after 9 p.m." Say: "There's a lot of nightlife; may I help you find it?")

The history section mentions downtown Fayetteville 's seedy past but encourages workers to emphasize how much has changed. The book advises that if you hear someone say "Fayettenam," tell them in your own words something such as, "That may have applied 30 years ago, but today, Fayetteville is a vibrant community full of history, heroes and a hometown feeling!"

Pam Sise, general manager of Residence Inn by Marriott on Skibo Road , will be one of the leaders for the initial workshops on Feb. 11. She said her clerks already give guests looking for something to do a list of coming events printed by the visitors bureau.

The ambassador training program, she said, will give her employees more tools and the ability to prepare an itinerary for guests based on their interests. The employees will ask the guest a variety of questions. Do they like the arts? What kind of museums do they want to see? Are they interested in downtown?

Sise said most of her guests are on government business or are connected to Fort Bragg .  "They may have some down time," she said.

Katherine Miller, the visitors bureau's hospitality communications manager, said 22 people enrolled in an initial workshop in advance of the official kickoff. Of the 20 who took the exam, all passed.

The curriculum for the textbook was designed and written by Mickey Schaefer & Associates, a consulting firm.