KiaOraMai

KiaOraMai is a training programme designed for employees and employers working with customers and visitors across the tourism and service industries.

The programme is designed to help New Zealand’s service industries deliver consistent, positive, uniquely New Zealand customer experiences – everywhere, for every customer in New Zealand.

It was launched in 2009 by the Tourism Industry Association of New Zealand (TIA) and the Service Industries Training Alliance (SITA), which is made up of ATTTO, the Hairdressing Industry Training Organisation (HITO), the Hospitality Standards Institute (HSI), the Retail Institute, Skills Active and Tranzqual ITO.

For businesses, it is about building increased customer loyalty, staff satisfaction, a stronger business and a stronger New Zealand economy by investing in people.

KiaOraMai is not your average customer service course: it helps employers and their staff understand what’s unique and special about their business and their local region, so they can offer a one-of-a-kind Kiwi experience that keeps visitors and customers coming back.

Equipping the service sector

KiaOraMai was developed with industry input and covers a broad range of skills focused around customer service, product knowledge, New Zealand as a visitor destination, and the Maori values of manaakitanga and kaitiakitanga (hospitality and guardianship).

Training includes a mix of workplace training and one-day workshops, run in local communities. Graduates are presented with a KiaOraMai certificate, issued by the Tourism Industry Association (TIA) and SITA, and gain unit standards on the National Qualifications Framework.

Completion of the certificate takes around four months.

KiaOraMai was developed with funding from the New Zealand Ministry of Economic Development (Tourism Strategy Group) and Te Puni Kokiri, in partnership with TIA and SITA. ATTTO was a lead industry training organisation in the development of the programme and manages the programme’s administration and training.

Find out more about KiaOraMai at www.kiaoramai.co.nz