The Cultural Tourism Enterprise Training Program is a new training series for Native American tourism entrepreneurs, operators and suppliers throughout the U.S. The program was developed by The George Washington University’s International Institute of Tourism Studies in partnership with the Native American Development Corporation and Triia, and is funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce's Minority Business Development Agency. This training program is a non-degree, non-credit-bearing program.
The training series is designed to be flexible and meet the needs of Native entrepreneurs—such as campground operators, guides and artisans—who are interested in sharing their cultural heritage with tourists and travelers who want to experience all that Native communities have to offer. The program is available on demand, using prerecorded modules followed by short multiple-choice quizzes, and is offered fully online through GW’s online learning management system, Blackboard.
The program provides 12 hours of training in 15 modules, split across two levels:
- Level 1: Visitor Readiness and Shaping the Customer Experience
- Level 2: Marketing and Product Development; Operations, Distribution and Sales
The program helps Native American tourism entrepreneurs and suppliers market effectively to consumers. Each module provides an overview of baseline professional and business standards and their practical application to receiving visitors and customers (Level 1), and to implementing strategic marketing and sales approaches (Level 2). Individual modules include the following resources to help achieve these objectives:
- Learning objectives and instructor information
- Prerecorded lecture and handout
- A short quiz to verify comprehension and completion
Plan on spending about six (6) hours to complete each level. There are no outside required readings or written assignments.
Each participant will receive a certificate at the successful completion of each level. To pass a level, participants must complete all module quizzes with a score of 70% or higher (Pass/Fail).
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LEVEL 2: Marketing and Product Development; Operations, Distribution and Sales
The following seven (7) modules are offered in Level 2 of the Cultural Tourism Enterprise Training Program. Please click on the Modules and Instructors tabs to view the course description and instructor bio.
Introduction to Module 2: How Tourism Works
Module 8: Customer Segmentation
Module 9: Product Development
Module 10: Pricing Your Tourism Product
Module 11: Financial Considerations and Tourism Business Policies
Module 12: Good Practices in Operations Management
Module 13: Establishing Distribution Channels
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LEVEL 1: Visitor Readiness and Shaping the Customer Experience
The following eight (8) modules are offered in Level 1 of the Cutlural Tourism Enterprise Training Program:
Introduction to Module 1: Why Tourism Matters
Module 1: Legal Business Operations
Module 2: Tourism Business Liability
Module 3: Authentic Visitor Experiences
Module 4: The Customer Experience
Module 5: Customer Communication & Service Recovery
Module 6: Five Phases of Travel
Module 7: Online Presence
Participants must successfully complete all module quizzes in Level 1: Visitor Readiness and Shaping the Customer Experience before they are eligible to register for Level 2: Marketing and Product Development; Operations, Distribution and Sales.
Click here to register for Level 1: Visitor Readiness and Shaping the Customer Experience.
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Program Fees: Each Level is $285 individually. The total cost of the full training program is $570. Please take a look at the Fees tab for more details.
Questions? Email us at GWCTETP@gwu.edu
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