Government awards contract for tourism call centre and reservation service

Kevin Aylward, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Recreation, today, announced that a contract has been awarded to Telelink, The Call Centre Inc. to perform contact management centre and reservation services for Tourism Newfoundland and Labrador.

"Contact management and reservation services are important components of the department�s marketing strategy to develop the province as an internationally known destination of choice," says Aylward. "The department must be able to respond to the thousands of requests from potential visitors for tourism information on our province, and we are able to do so effectively by providing travel counselling and reservation services through Telelink."

Telelink, a Newfoundland owned and operated company, has been in business for35 years. It has 10 experience in call centre management for the Department of Tourism, Culture and Recreation and for the past four years, it has held the contract to operate the provincial tourism call centre. Telelink is a web-enabled contact centre which serves to simplify individuals� information searches and vacation decisions, improve the tourism industry�s access to the marketplace and support government�s efforts to market and promote the province.

Contact management services include responding to requests for collateral materials, such as brochures and travel guides, and trip counselling received through the department website, fax, e-mail and 1-800 telephone number. The reservation service enables individuals to make arrangements for accommodations, tours and other products and services offered by tourism operators participating in the service.

"Often, Telelink�s travel counsellors are the first contact that potential visitors have with Newfoundland and Labrador so they play a vital role in the promotion of our tourism industry, as they provide convenient, one-stop vacation planning services for the province," added Aylward. Media contact: Catherina Kennedy, (709) 729-0928.

2001 03 09                            4:50 p.m.