Page 18 - South Mississippi Living - April, 2021

COAST NOTE
Coastal Mississippi
Launches Free,
Online Hospitality
Training Program
story by Kelsey Sunderman-Foster photo courtesy of
Coastal Mississippi
Champion
Coastal Mississippi, the organization charged with promoting South Mississippi as a tourism and convention destination worldwide, is embarking on a mission to educate and engage hospitality industry employees like never before.
The Coast Champions hospitality training program, administered through Bridge, a learning management system, is completely free and available online for any organization or individual involved in the tourism industry, directly or indirectly.
“This online course is self-guided and is expected to take less than two hours
to complete,” says Coastal Mississippi CEO Milton Segarra. “Featured topics include COVID-19 best practices, the importance of tourism in Coastal Mississippi, meetings/events information and more.” Ultimately, the course will address frequently asked questions from current and prospective visitors, inviting participants to learn more about the region.
After completing this self-guided online course, a certi cate of completion will be provided to each employee, certifying them as a Coast Champion. Coastal Mississippi is also planning for post-pandemic opportunities, including behind- the-scenes access/tours to new tourism assets and networking opportunities for Coast Champions who have completed the course.
“We have learned through the challenges brought on by a global pandemic the importance of making educational opportunities accessible for everyone. We are excited to be able to o er this free opportunity to delve deeper into what Coastal Mississippi o ers as a destination,” Segarra continued. “We understand that every interaction a hospitality employee has with a current or prospective visitor can create perceptions about what our 62 miles of coastline o ers, and we look forward to engaging and inspiring those working in the hospitality industry on The Secret Coast.”
To learn more and register for the Coast Champions program www.gulfcoast.org/partners/coast-champions.
18 | April 2021
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