Amsterdam Launches Welcome Teams to Aid Visitors

The city of Amsterdam officially launched “Welcome Teams” on April 2, to give an extra welcome to the visitors to Amsterdam. The teams will guide visitors and provide information on public transport during the tourist season.

Oswald Schwirtz, chairman of the “Amsterdam Alliantie” and the Amsterdam Chamber of Commerce, as well as the Municipal Councilor Citymarketing Carolien Gehrels, emphasize the importance of hospitality to the city.

Through Nov. 2 the Welcome Teams can be found at busy locations throughout the city, where they will give an extra warm welcome to tourists. They are an important face of the city; dressed in “I Amsterdam” costumes (the Amsterdam recognizable logo), they will provide directions to visitors, give information on public transport, as well as events in the city.

From Thursday through Sunday, 10 teams of two people can be found in the city each day. During the high season this will be expanded to seven days a week. The Welcome Teams consist of volunteers who love the city of Amsterdam, and students of tourism. To serve more visitors, the staff of the city’s transportation corporation (Gemeentelijk vervoersbedrijf GVB) and the City of Amsterdam are also participating.

Welcome Team members are required to have a good command of both the Dutch and English language, knowledge of the city and an affinity with providing service. In preparation, the teams took part in a training program for which “Welcome,” the police, the GVB and the Amsterdam Tourism & Convention Board provided information.

In 2008, the teams helped over 275,000 visitors. The hospitality experience of visitors rose from a 7.4 to a 7.8. The teams were located at the Central Station and the Dam. This year, these locations will be expanded upon to include locations where special activities take place.

The Welcome Team is part of “Welcome.” This is a program of the “Amsterdam Alliantie” in collaboration with the City of Amsterdam to make Amsterdam even more hospitable than it already is. The Amsterdam Alliantie is a collaboration effort of nine organizations from Amsterdam’s industry, the cultural and tourist sector.