Amsterdam’s welcoming glow

Working hard for a warmer welcome

The Alliance unites heads of major cultural and business organisations as they work together to ensure visitors to Amsterdam receive an unsurpassed welcome, no matter their reason for being in town. Amsterdam Welcome continuously introduces new initiatives and carefully charts progress to enable them to quickly and effectively tackle areas for improvement.

The Welcome Academy

Outstanding communication is the key to further improvement in hospitality in the city and Amsterdam Welcome provides top-class training to everyone who comes into contact with visitors to Amsterdam, from receptionists and museum attendants to security personnel and bar staff. Special hospitality training workshops at The Welcome Academy provide theoretical background alongside a host of practical tips and tricks.

"Workshop was an eye opener!"

Manager of the Marnixstraat branch of MacBike, Theo van Kampen (pictured) participated in the Welcome Academy training in late 2009.

After eighteen years working for the company he’d seen his fair share of visitors come and go but the workshop helped to make him even more conscious of the impact he has on visitors to the city: "The workshop was certainly an eye-opener, it helped me realise that everyone the visitor meets can make or break their trip".

Putting training into practice

During the workshop, participants were asked to write down three hospitality goals which were then sent to them in the post a few months later. "It was handy to receive a reminder of what you plan to achieve", says Theo. And the MacBike manager has certainly been able to put what he learnt into practice. "Becoming fully aware of your role is worth its weight in gold... it’s important to remember to treat visitors as you would like to be treated yourself".

Amsterdam’s Welcome Teams

The Welcome Teams are another successful initiative launched by the Welcome project. Formed of specially trained volunteers and job-seekers with a passion for the city and its visitors, these teams play an important role in Amsterdam.

Stationed at strategic spots in the city, the teams are on hand to answer general questions, offer advice about events and public transport and point visitors in the right direction. In 2010, the Welcome Teams helped a total of 343,000 visitors to the city.

Additional Welcome Teams are drafted in for large congresses and events, such as Giro d’Italia and SAIL in 2010. In the especially busy summer months, additional Welcome Teams may be put in place on Dam Square and Muntplein. Look for them in their red I amsterdam outfits!

A hospitable future

Amsterdam Welcome emphasises the importance of universal involvement in the campaign to raise the warm-welcome factor in the city. After all, a welcoming Amsterdam is beneficial for everyone, be they an Amsterdam resident, on a weekend break or just passing through.