Global Greeter Network

Brussels, October 2014

There will no longer be tourists, only

temporarely inhabitants.

Greeters? (1)

1 - Greeters are volunteers, a friendly face for those visiting a city/destination

2 - Greeters welcome individuals and may serve small groups of up to six people

3 - Meeting a Greeter is free of charge

Greeters? (2)

4 - Visitors are welcomed without any kind of discrimination.

5 - Greeter programs support sustainable tourism. Programs respects natural and man-made environments, it brings both cultural and economical enrichment to the local communities. Programs aim for a lasting positive image of each destination.

Greeters? (3)

6 - Greeter programs create a mutually enriching opportunity for cultural exchange, create links between ordinary people in creating a better world

Global Greeter Network

• Informal – virtual organization• Volunteers• Worldwide 85 destinations• Worldwide +/- 3.500 Greeters• This week Essen (Germany) and La Creuse

(France) will join

Globale Greeter Network

History• 1992 – New York,

Lynn and Stan Brooks• Personal initiative, they

‘just got started’

Global Greeter Network

• 1992 – 2008• Sixteen years of growth by ‘word of mouth’

Global Greeter Network

• 2008: 8 members, annual meeting• www.GlobalGreeterNetwork.info• 2008 – 2013: Five years of ‘soft’ support

Global Greeter Network

2013 – 2014:Greeter Matching SystemFree websiteWorldwide more Greeters AND visitorsFrance Greeters

From 55 to +/- 100 destinations in 2014

Global Greeter Network

• Today (2014) and tomorrow (2018)

Global Greeter Network

• Growth expectations are based on:

– 39 new agreements signed

– 550 + worldwide people inquired about‘how to start a local Greeter organization’

Become a member – how?

Requirements• Sign our agreement

• Have a dedicated website

• Have at least five Greeters

• Have a Facebook page

Become a member – why?

• Benefits– Economic– Promotion– Image– Publicity– Culture– Volunteerism

Become a Greeter– how?

• Local laws• Local culture• Variety of ways

Next steps

• New website www.GlobalGreeterNetwork.info

• Free website with automatic matching system

Trends

• More Governmental influence• Many information requests worldwide• Fast growing market of city trips• Often not the number one destinations

My goal

My goal

One of the top 5 brands in tourism in 5 years

WWW.GLOBALGREETERNETWORK.INFO