PHOENIX (May 13, 2011) – The Phoenix Convention Center celebrates National Tourism Week by proudly announcing that several of its staff members have earned Certified Tourism Ambassador (CTA) certification offered by the Valley Tourism Ambassadors Program.

The Certified Tourism Ambassador^TM Program is a nationwide certification program that serves to increase tourism by training and inspiring front-line hospitality employees and volunteers to work together to turn every visitor encounter into a positive experience.  The CTA Program goes well beyond basic customer service training; it gives participants the opportunity to build upon their knowledge of the local region, enhance their skills in serving customers, increase their awareness of information resources and discover the power of tourism!  CTA’s are required to attend several tourism networking events and educational seminars throughout the year to renew their certification annually.

Convention Center staff received study materials in advance to prepare for the four hour training program prior to taking the certification exam. CTA’s received a certificate in recognition of their accomplishment and a gold pin to be identified by guests and visitors.

The newly-certified tourism ambassadors include: Caron Bernard, Charlotte Reynolds, Chaunda Henley, Christopher Wieman, Cynthia Weaver, Debbi Foshee, Diane McCullough, Ernest Anderson, Janay Church, Jerry Crow, Joni Jones, Kathy Kramer, Kelly Murphy, Kevin Hill, Kim Fisher, Larry Garcia, Melissa Balthazor, Miguel Munguia, Pat Deloney-Shipman, Roberta Chavez, Sarah Field, Stella Froom, Susan Watson, Tamiko Tinker, Yesenia Bernal, Vini West and Stephanie Davidson & Gabriela Rosales, with the Greater Phoenix Convention & Visitors Bureau.

About the Phoenix Convention Center & Venues:
The award-winning Phoenix Convention Center is one of the 25 largest convention venues in the United States and offers nearly 900,000 square feet of rentable meeting and exhibition space on a campus that spans more than two million square feet. The Phoenix Convention Center can accommodate 80% of the convention market and is a critical economic enterprise for the state and local economy.  Established in 1969 as a department of the City of Phoenix, the Phoenix Convention Center & Venues include the Phoenix Convention Center, Executive Conference Center - Downtown Phoenix, Symphony Hall, the Orpheum Theatre, Herberger Theater and five parking garages. Visit phoenixconventioncenter.com  for more information.