Bellingham Whatcom County Tourism and Evergreen Team Concepts ask, "Is Your Business Ready for the 2010 Winter Olympics?"

Bellingham Whatcom County Tourism and Evergreen Team Concepts ask, "Is Your Business Ready for the 2010 Winter Olympics?"
Bellingham Whatcom County Tourism and Evergreen Team Concepts are proud to present the BWCT 2010 Service Initiative in advance of the Vancouver Winter Olympics. In 2010, the world is coming to Whatcom County's doorstep. Is your business ready? Bellingham Whatcom County Tourism and Evergreen Team Concepts are collaborating to present the BWCT 2010 Service Initiative that asks "Is your business ready for the 2010 Olympics?" Beginning with the Kickoff event on Thursday, February 21, 2008, 12-8pm, the Service Initiative strives to make all businesses ready for the Vancouver/Whistler Winter Olympics. All those interested are welcome to attend this event which includes live music, hors d'oeuvres, hourly presentations, networking and thousands of dollars in door prizes.

Is your business ready for the 2010 Olympics? In two short years, the world is coming to the Pacific Northwest to attend the Winter Olympics. Businesses in the area stand to reap a windfall. The best prepared companies stand to gain the most. The BWCT 2010 Service Initiative is vital to that preparation.
Participants commit to four training workshops each year. In addition, the Service Initiative benefits include:
Quarterly Web forums, facilitated by top national figures
Subscription to the quarterly e-newsletter, focused on Olympic news and events of local business interest
Two free marketing ads each year in the quarterly e-newsletter
Four local press releases each year, coordinated with the BWCT 2010 Service Initiative
Three national and international press releases, issued through PRWeb with an explanation of the BWCT 2010 Service Initiative
Four audio conferences with national experts
Annual networking luncheons, designed to bring business leaders together The 2008 events are already scheduled. In March, Henry Beeland will map out "Developing a Plan for Success". June is busy. Frank Keck leads a workshop in "Building Successful Customer Relationships" and on June 4, the networking luncheon, the "HAMFLAP" event, occurs. In the Fall, Evan Glassett presents a workshop in September on "Image Management" and in November, Henrik Rosvall will conclude 2008 with a workshop on "Cultural Diversity and Practices". No business can afford to miss a moment of this valuable experience.
Gold, Silver and Bronze BWCT 2010 Service Initiative sponsorships are available for businesses and organizations to step up and receive exciting premiums such as logo recognition at BWCT 2010 Service Initiative events, additional press coverage, and multiple admissions to training events. Call Evergreen Team Concepts for more information on sponsorships.
The BWCT 2010 Service Initiative will elevate this area's businesses to reach faster, higher and stronger as they prepare for the world in 2010. Register now. If you are in the Service Initiative area - don't let this unique opportunity pass you by.

Preparation for Winter Olympics has begun

Local businesses can get help on skills, strategies

WHATCOM -- Bellingham Whatcom County Tourism wants to help its business partners prepare for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, B.C.
"The Winter Olympics Service Initiative will help any business that wants to further develop its management personnel, improve customer-service skills and learn marketing strategies," said Loni Rahm, president and CEO of BWCT. "It will particularly assist companies that want to take advantage of the opportunities presented by the 2010 Winter Olympics."
The 2010 Winter Olympic Games are scheduled for Feb. 12-28 and will be followed by the Paralympic Winter Games, also in Vancouver, B.C., March 12-21. Approximately 10,000 media representatives will attend and 1.8 million tickets for events will be sold, many of them to tourists from throughout the world.
"When people travel to see the Winter Olympics, they also want to see some of the surrounding sights," said Steve Brenk, board chair of BWCT and general manager of Bellingham's Best Western Lakeway Inn. "Whatcom County is ideally situated because we're between the international airports in Vancouver, B.C., and Seattle that most visitors will use. Also, currency rates are extremely favorable now for Canadian, Asian and European tourists visiting the United States."
Bellingham-based Evergreen Team Concepts is developing the training workshops for business participants. Henry Beeland, president of Evergreen Team Concepts, saw firsthand how some businesses reacted to the opportunities and challenges posed by the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta.
"If Northwest Washington is prepared to reach out to these visitors and meet their unique needs, this region can reap the benefits of increased tourism for years to come," Beeland said.
BWCT will present four workshops per year in 2008 and 2009 to members participating in the Winter Olympics Service Initiative. Workshops will cover many topics, including customer-service training, team building, telephone skills, marketing strategies, diversity and culture awareness, and understanding the needs of visitors.
Participants also will have access to up to four additional audio and/or Internet training events each year that will be led by national business experts, plus quarterly Internet forums.
Other benefits include a quarterly e-newsletter covering Winter Olympics business topics, plus international marketing efforts in coordination with Ferndale-based PRWeb that highlight participating businesses.
Bellingham Whatcom County Tourism will offer the Winter Olympics Service Initiative to its 400 members at a substantially reduced rate of $149 per year or $249 for two years. BWCT also will make the training program available to its economic development partners on a space-available basis.
For information about participating in the Winter Olympics Service Initiative, call Bellingham Whatcom County Tourism at 671-3990 or (800) 487-2032.

Workshops focus on preparing for Olympics

Bellingham Whatcom County Tourism has launched an initiative to help its business partners prepare for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, B.C. The 2010 Winter Olympic Games are scheduled Feb. 12- 28 and will be followed by the Paralympic Winter Games, also in Vancouver, March 12- 21.

Approximately 10,000 media representatives will attend and 1.8 million tickets for events will be sold, many of them to tourists from throughout the world. BWCT will present four workshops per year in 2008 and 2009 to members participating in the Winter Olympics Service Initiative.

Workshops will cover many topics, including customerservice training, team building, telephone skills, marketing strategies, diversity and culture awareness, and understanding the needs of visitors. Participants also will have access to up to four additional audio and/or Internet training events each year that will be led by national business experts, plus quarterly Internet forums.

Other benefits include a quarterly e-newsletter covering business topics for the Olympics, plus international marketing efforts in coordination with Ferndale-based PRWeb.

Bellingham Whatcom County Tourism will offer the Winter Olympics Service Initiative to its 400 members at a substantially reduced rate of $149 per year or $249 for two years. BWCT also will make the training program available to its economic development partners from Seattle to Vancouver, B.C., on a space-available basis.

For information about participating in the Winter Olympics Service Initiative, call Bellingham Whatcom County Tourism at 671-3990