Six-week beginner French course offered for local tourism professionals

The Guernsey Institute, working with the Committee for Economic Development, is offering a six-week course in beginner’s French for local professionals working in customer-facing roles which regularly involve engaging with French-speaking visitors to the island.

This course follows on from the success of two one-off ‘taster’ sessions held last year, both of which were fully subscribed. The intention of this course is to facilitate opportunities for those working directly with French tourists to improve their language skills and overall quality of customer service.

The six-week course will run twice, the first beginning on Tuesday 3rd February and the second beginning on Tuesday 7th April. Lessons will be held every week on Tuesdays from 9–11am at the Guernsey Institute’s Coutanchez Campus.

Lucy Mallett, Head of ACL Languages at The Guernsey Institute, said:

“Following the popularity of previous taster sessions and with the increase in French visitors over the past year, it’s clear there is a real appetite for islanders – especially those who work in the tourism sector – to improve their French speaking skills. We hope this course will equip those who enrol with the language skills required to engage meaningfully with tourists and help provide them with a positive experience of our island.”

Deputy Sasha Kazantseva-Miller, President of the Committee for Economic Development, said:

“After a 65% increase in French visitors last year, it is vitally important to continue supporting sectors such as hospitality and retail to maintain and enhance what are already very high standards of service. Working with The Guernsey Institute to offer this course to professionals in these sectors is just one of the ways in which the Committee for Economic Development aims to build on the success of the visitor economy last year and improve the overall reputation of Guernsey as a tourism destination.”

To enrol on the course please email LucyM@gcfe.net.