Previous MEA Tourism Training Opportunities

City & Guilds Level 2 Award in Principles of Customer Service in Hospitality, Leisure and Tourism

Are you working or volunteering on the front line of tourism in Mid and East Antrim? Whether you're an accommodation or hospitality provider, tour guide, visitor attraction staff member, or an experience provider, this is your chance to sharpen your customer service skills and gain a nationally recognised qualification – for free!

Mid and East Antrim Borough Council in partnership with Northern Regional College (NRC), is offering the City & Guilds Level 2 Award in Principles of Customer Service in Hospitality, Leisure and Tourism – tailored for those who want to create memorable experiences for visitors.

📍 Location: NRC Ballymena Campus
📅 Date: Thursday 6 November 2025
🕘 Time: 09:00 - 18:00 (Participants will be required to complete a short test to gain accreditation.)
👥 Places are limited: Maximum 15 participants
💸 Cost: FREE – subject to eligibility and application

What You’ll Learn:  This hands-on, practical course will help you:

• Understand the core principles of customer service in tourism and hospitality
• Learn how to handle customer interactions professionally and confidently
• Explore ways to enhance visitor satisfaction and manage expectations
• Build skills in communication, problem-solving, and teamwork
• Gain insights into industry standards and best practices

Whether you're relatively new to the sector or looking to refresh your skills, this qualification will help you stand out, grow professionally, and deliver even better experiences to visitors.  Apply now HERE.  Applications close 9am on Monday 27 October 2025.

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Expression of interest - Neighbourhood Tourism Experience Business Support  

Following the success of our ‘Embrace Community Spirit: Shaping Tourism Together’ workshop in March, Council is now inviting expressions of interest from:

• Local businesses
• Community and voluntary organisations
• Creatives and skilled individuals
• Collaborative groups

If you have a tourism experience idea that celebrates your local area - and you’re ready to develop it into a market-ready offering - we want to work with you. Whether it’s a guided walk, food experience, creative workshop, festival, or outdoor adventure, this is your opportunity to turn your idea into something visitors can enjoy and remember.

What Is Neighbourhood Tourism?

Neighbourhood tourism is about authentic, place-based experiences that reflect the unique identity of our towns, villages, and rural communities. It’s rooted in local culture, heritage, hospitality, creativity, and community spirit.

Why Get Involved?

We’re looking for people who are not just full of great ideas - but who also want to develop and deliver them with targeted business support. By submitting an expression of interest, you’ll help us:

• Identify individuals and organisations ready to take the next step
• Understand the types of experiences that are emerging across the borough
• Shape tailored support to help you succeed

While the exact nature of business support activities will need tailored to individual needs, potential activities may include:

• Mentoring and one-to-one guidance
• Training, networking and peer learning
• Access to toolkits and practical resources
• Marketing and experience development
• Small grants or funding advice (excluding capital funding)
• Market testing opportunities

Who Should Get Involved?

We’re looking for experiences that:
✅ Are based within Mid and East Antrim
✅ Have a clear connection to a local place or community
✅ Represent an existing or emerging concept
✅ Are backed by relevant skills or experience
✅ Are tourism-relevant (e.g. food, heritage, arts, outdoor activities)
✅ Offer something new or distinctive to the borough’s tourism offer

Business support activities are expected to begin in autumn/winter 2025.  Should there be adequate demand a second stage application process may be undertaken for the development of a potential Neighbourhood Tourism Experience Development Programme.

🔗 For further information or to submit your Expression of Interest click HERE.

Let’s work together to embrace our community spirit and create unforgettable experiences for visitors.  Please spread the word to anyone that you think might be interested!  Expressions of interest close at 09:00 on Monday 22 September 2025. 

WorldHost Inclusive Service 

Spaces are available for professionals in Mid and East Antrim's Tourism and Hospitality sector to attend a free WorldHost Inclusive Service training session, designed to enhance customer service skills with a focus on inclusivity. Event details:

📍   Location: Carrickfergus Marina Conference Suite
📅 Date: Thursday 6 March 2025
🕤 Registration: Begins at 09:30
⏳ Session: Runs until 16:00 (includes a 30-minute break and lunch)

More information on the course content is available HERE.

Spaces are limited and will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. If interested, please book by 09:00 on Monday 3 March 2025 by emailing zoe.lindsay@midandeastantrim.gov.uk 

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MEA Embracing Accessible and Inclusive Tourism Programme

Programme Outline

The Mid and East Antrim (MEA) Embracing Accessible and Inclusive Tourism Programme has been designed to provide accommodation businesses with the skills to improve the service they offer to customers with a disability and to provide the vital accessibility information these customers need before choosing to visit somewhere for the first time.  Did you know that 95% of disabled people look for accessibility information before going somewhere new or unfamiliar?

This is a pilot programme for small to medium bricks and mortar accommodation businesses and incorporates both a training element and an industry recognised accessibility assessment undertaken by experienced, trained surveyors from AccessAble.   It will run between February and March 2025.   (Please note that the programme is only available for one venue that you own, for example, if you own three self-catering cottages, the discounted assessment can only apply to one).  There are 2 elements to the programme:

Part 1:  Participate in a FREE full day WorldHost Inclusive Service training session with maximum 2 staff members per business.  More information on the training is available here:  www.people1st.co.uk/skills-solutions/worldhost-customer-service-training/worldhost-inclusive-service/

Part 2:  Register online for a discounted onsite accessibility assessment* which will involve an AccessAble surveyor coming to your venue to collect facts, measurements and photographs to enable a Detailed Access Guide to be produced. The Guide is all about giving people factual information, it is not a user review or rating.  AccessAble will also be able to provide you with an Accessibility Improvement Report, giving you some ideas on accessibility improvements for the future, and tips on inclusive marketing. 

You will be required to sign up to a service level agreement and pay directly to AccessAble.  More details here:  https://youraccessibilityguide.co.uk/AboutDAG  

* Please note:   

• As part of the programme, the Council will fund 75% of the cost for your initial accessibility audit. To receive a quick quote for your audit, please complete the online form here: https://youraccessibilityguide.co.uk/GetQuote.  If you are accepted onto this programme, Council Officers will provide you with a discount code to use when placing your final order directly with AccessAble. (If your property has many bedrooms, it is recommended to select only those that are more accessible and suitable for assessment when requesting your quote.)
• Any future updates or ongoing annual costs associated with publicising your information on AccessAble will be the responsibility of the business. (A repeat listing is approx.  £20 to £70 per annum, with actual cost dependant on the property size.  Additional charges will be incurred if surveyor reassessments are needed).

Benefits of the Programme

• Development of skills and knowledge necessary to deliver excellent customer service to a wide range of unique customers.
• A detailed access guide AND an accessibility improvement report to serve your existing customers better and reach new customers.
• Promotion on the AccessAble consumer website with 6M+ audience. - see examples here:  www.accessable.co.uk/ 
• Publicity on the MEA Shaped by Sea and Stone tourism website, which will have a section developed to actively promote accessibility and inclusion.  

Programme Criteria

To be considered eligible for this programme, subsidised by Mid and East Antrim Borough Council, you will be required to meet the following criteria: 

Essential Criteria

1. An established small to medium accommodation business, with premises located and operational in Mid and East Antrim.  (Excludes hotels)
2. Certified by Tourism Northern Ireland and in operation for a minimum of 1 year.
3. Committed to operating your business for at least another 3 years.
4. Motivated to provide a more accessible and inclusive visitor experience.
5. Have an existing listing on discovernorthernireland.com OR be prepared to get listed before attendance at the WorldHost Inclusive Service training course. (Council Officers will be happy to assist you to get listed.)
6. Provide an outline quotation for your AccessAble assessment by completing this online form: https://youraccessibilityguide.co.uk/GetQuote.  
7. Prepared to send 1 or 2 staff from your business to WorldHost Inclusive Service Training on Thursday 6 March 2025.
8. Agree to permit access to your property by an AccessAble surveyor during a mutually agreeable time in February / March 2025.

As this is a pilot programme and places are limited, a space cannot be guaranteed and should the programme be oversubscribed a further screening process will be undertaken, with applicants assessed against the following additional criteria:

Desirable criteria

1.   Plans to pro-actively market your accommodation to this target market. 
2.   Plans to use these skills and information in the future.
3.   Plans to implement potential improvements recommended by your accessibility assessment in the future.
4.   Committed to annually renew your online AccessAble business listing (costs will apply.)
5.  Existing website provision to upload AccessAble assessment information.

Should there not be an adequate uptake by the accommodation sector, the programme will be opened up to visitor attraction businesses or hospitality businesses within Mid and East Antrim.

Submission Details

Full application form can be found  HERE.   

Closing date for completed application forms is 5pm on Monday 17 February 2025.

Mid and East Antrim Borough Council will assess all applications against qualifying criteria.  If successful, Council Officers will confirm your place on the programme before 5pm on Monday 24 February 2025. 

Upon acceptance onto the programme you will need to complete a service level agreement and separate registration /payment with AccessAble to conduct your Accessibility Assessment, based on instructions provided by Council Officers.

The WorldHost Inclusive Service course will run on Thursday 6 March 2025 and will be compulsory to attend if you wish to benefit from the full programme.  (Please keep this date free until you hear the outcome of your application.)

Please Note:  Breakdown of Financial Support 

For your quotation you are asked to confirm the number of bedrooms / en-suites you wish to have assessed, but communal areas are included.  Here are a few examples of approximate costs to specific businesses:

Bed & Breakfast / Guest House
1 bedroom – £250 + VAT (£300 inc. VAT)  with 75% Council support = £75
2-3 bedrooms - £325 + VAT (£390 inc. VAT) with 75% Council support = £97.50

Self Catering or Holiday Home
1 with 1 bedroom  £250 + VAT (£300 inc. VAT) with 75% Council support = £75
1 with 2-3 bedrooms  £325 + VAT (£390 inc. VAT) with 75% Council support = £97.50

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OCN NI LEVEL 2 AWARD IN TOUR GUIDING (SEPTEMBER & NOVEMBER 2024)

Course Outline
The OCN NI Level 2 Award in Tour Guiding (QCF) qualification has been designed to provide the learner with skills in the travel and tourism industry to enable them to develop a tour commentary and lead groups on a guided tour.

The assessment method is a learner portfolio which is completed and submitted to cover 3 Learning Outcomes:
1.       Understand the role of the tour guide in the travel and tourism industry
2.       Be able to produce a short tour commentary
3.       Understand the health and safety implications of tour guiding
Learners are also required to produce and deliver a tour commentary to support achievement of Learning Outcome 2.

You can also check out a recent video produced by Northern Regional College about the OCN NI Level 2 Tour Guiding course here:  https://vimeo.com/617122983#_=_  Additionally the course programme specification is available here:  https://ocnni.org.uk/qualifications/ocn-ni-level-2-award-in-tour-guiding  

Course Criteria
To be considered eligible for this FREE training programme, funded by Mid and East Antrim Borough Council, you will be required to confirm the following details in the application form:

Essential Criteria
1.  Resident in Mid and East Antrim. (Allowance for employees working for MEA tourism or hospitality businesses will be considered on an individual basis.)   *
2.  Availability to attend all sessions – to qualify you will be required to confirm attendance at all 8 training sessions at 3 hours per week (dates and times outlined below).  

As places are limited a space cannot be guaranteed and should the course be oversubscribed we may therefore need to apply a screening process. In the event of needing to allocate on this basis, participants will be assessed against the following additional criteria:

Desirable criteria
3.    Reason for wanting to do the course.
4.        Interest and ideas for delivering tours within Mid and East Antrim. 
5.    Personal tour guiding interests and ideas for a tour or areas of interest within a town, village or specific attraction i.e. history, heritage, food, myths and legends, architecture.
6.    Any experience relevant to the tour guiding role.
7.    How you intend to use these skills in the future.

* If oversubscribed, preference will be given to participants from within the Carrickfergus area to support future City Deal regeneration projects.

IT Requirements 
All candidates should be comfortable using computers and to communicate confidently through electronic means.

Course Details:

Venue
Conference Suite at Carrickfergus Marina, 3 Quayside, Carrickfergus BT38 8BJ.

Dates & Times

Course 1:
To commence Wednesday 18 September 2024 from 09:30 – 12:30. 
End date Wednesday 13 November 2024
Times may be subject to change based on varying needs of participants and lecturer. 

All sessions are mandatory to achieve this qualification i.e.
Week 1:  Wednesday 18 September 2024
Week 2:  Wednesday 25 September 2024
Week 3:  Wednesday 2 October 2024
Week 4:  Wednesday 9 October 2024
Week 5:  Wednesday 16 October 2024
Week 6:  Wednesday 23 October 2024
Halloween Break
Week 7:  Wednesday 6 November 2024
Week 8:  Wednesday 13 November 2024

Course 2:

To commence Wednesday 27 November 2024 primarily from 09.30 – 12.30.

End date Wednesday 29 January 2025

Times may be subject to change based on varying needs of participants and lecturer.

All sessions are mandatory to achieve this qualification i.e.

Week 1: Wednesday 27 November 2024

Week 2: Wednesday 4 December 2024

Week 3: Wednesday 11 December 2024

Week 4: Wednesday 18 December 2024

Christmas break

Week 5:  Wednesday 8 January 2024

Week 6: Wednesday 15 January 2025

Week 7: Wednesday 22 January 2025

Week 8: Wednesday 29 January 2025