Niagara University will host a one-day professional development course in downtown Niagara Falls next month, featuring one of the biggest names in the entertainment and leisure business. Local organizers hope that once the name attracts participants, those guests will also get a look at the Cataract City's assets.
What is known as the Disney Institute will be held inside the Conference and Event Center. Roscoe Naguit, assistant director of the Niagara Global Tourism Institute, says the workshop provides participants with a chance to look more closely at some of the values and strategies that Disney has used successfully at its many parks and resorts.
"Their four areas are business excellence, leadership excellence, employee engagement and quality service," Naguit said. "They focus their operations and their concepts to those four categories."
In previous years when Niagara hosted Disney Institute, visitors traveled from several states and Southern Ontario to participate. Naguit, whose organization is headquartered in the tourist district of Niagara Falls, told WBFO the hope is for local organizers to have an opportunity to show out-of-town guests the new and updated tourism opportunities within the Cataract City.
"I look at the example of how Buffalo rejuvenated and redeveloped and revitalized itself," he said. "But picture how it was eight to ten years ago. It's all about how to change the mindset of how people look at Niagara Falls. It's moving forward and developing and it's turning that corner."
The event takes place March 15.
