Travel and Tourism
The Power of Travel: Tour Docent Training Classes at BVIC
The Bronzeville Visitor Information Center (BVIC) offers tour docent training classes to inform community residents about the growth industry of heritage tourism. Held quarterly, these training sessions are designed to provide participants with the skill sets needed to assist them in leading guided tours of the historic Bronzeville community.
What is cultural heritage tourism and why is it important? The National Trust for Historic Preservation defines cultural heritage tourism as traveling to experience the places, artifacts and activities that authentically represent the stories and people of the past and present, including cultural, historical and natural resources(http://www.preservationnation.org/issues/heritage-tourism/). In addition to creating new jobs, new businesses and higher property values, well managed tourism builds community pride through the preservation of a community’s unique character.
Why is Bronzeville important? Bronzeville was the site of Chicago’s version of the Harlem Renaissance and home to many famous African Americans. The neighborhood was one of the premier centers of African American culture and was fairly affluent and middle class. Today, the neighborhood is seeing major community-driven revitalization efforts. More so than the present, however, the principal attraction remains the neighborhood’s rich history.
What will you gain through BVIC’s docent training classes? Through BVIC’s docent training classes, you will learn: -how to provide guided tours of the Bronzeville community as an interpreter in the history and culture of the area; -how to develop your own personal file that will serve as a resource for conducting tours, including social, psychological, and regional experiences that encompass your audience; -how to research points of interest, create a tour route and write a script for those points of interest, speaking in your own voice as a docent.
What is the cost for the docent training class? The total cost for the training is $40. Students may pay a reduced rate of $25 with identification. Class space is limited to 20 participants.
Register today for BVIC’s docent training class!
To register for an upcoming docent training class, please contact Patricia Fox (Project Manager) at 773-373-2842.
