You’ve seen them — the people with the red shirts on the ferry, providing information to locals and visitors alike. But did you ever wonder who the Travel Ambassadors were, really?
It all started 17 years ago when community-volunteer Conchita Harding and some of her friends realized that we should meet and greet visitors to the Sunshine Coast. From a small beginning with a handful of greeters on the ferry on Friday evenings, the Travel Ambassador program has expanded to operate from Easter to Thanksgiving seven-days a week.
These cheerful volunteers are quite often the first person a visitor meets when coming to the Sunshine Coast. They give out information on recreation, arts, culture and local festivals, and even provide information to Sunshine Coast residents who are looking for directions to the Vancouver Airport, Granville Island, or the easiest way to get onto Highway 99 to Whistler. Occasionally, they are even asked “How long will it take this ferry to get to Nanaimo?”
The Travel Ambassadors have openings for new volunteers in 2015, so if you’re proud of the Sunshine Coast, enjoy meeting a wide variety of people from around the world and have a few hours to spare per week, you should consider signing up. Shifts are usually two return trips one day per week.
The Travel Ambassador Program is made possible by the support of BC Ferries, local government, and the sponsorship of the Gibsons & District Chamber of Commerce. For more details, call Dorothy Fraser at 604-885-6736, or email [email protected].
