More trained Municipal Police Officers to support tourists

About 200 officers of the Municipal Police (PM) will receive training in the areas of local tourist information and English. Integrated into the first session of the "Formação + Próxima" program, the first 50 agents received, this week, a theoretical/practical component and using interactive dynamics, information about the city, complemented by guided tours by panoramic bus. Thus, they were able to perceive in loco contents addressed in the classroom context. Another eight training actions will follow in this project developed in partnership with the Porto School of Hospitality and Tourism and with the cooperation of several municipal services.

For the Councillor for Tourism and Internationalization, "a more sustainable and competitive destination undoubtedly involves the qualification and valorisation of its human resources, a principle already defended in the Destiny's Sustainability Vision". "It is the people, in this case the agents of the Municipal Police, who continue to make a difference in the provision of the service and who impact the quality of the experience of those who visit us", added Catarina Santos Cunha, at the inaugural session, in a classroom context, and who accompanied the group in the personalized visit by panoramic bus.

This program, developed in partnership with the Porto School of Hospitality and Tourism, joins others that the Municipality of Porto is developing, such as the "Confiança Porto" Program, which began by recognizing the good practices of Tourist Accommodation and which recently extended to pedestrian tours. “We intend to deepen the level of hospitality that is intrinsic to us, boost the qualification and training of professionals and agents, not only in the tourism sector, but in other areas that are directly related to tourism activity”, said the Tourism Councillor.

"We are all promoters of the image of the city"

The training programs are tailor-made in order to promote the training of workers from the different municipal services, who interact with the tourism sector or who, in some way, are in contact with visitors. In the first phase, the Municipal Police Officers will be trained, considering the proximity to the tourist and their contribution to the image of a safe and hospitable destination.

"We are all promoters of the image of the city", acknowledges the commander of the Municipal Police, so "it makes perfect sense for the agents to be involved in this training". "It is an added value for the Municipal Police, since we are more trained to give a better response to those who visit us. Let us not forget that it is often to police officers that tourists turn to ask a question, point out something abnormal, ask for advice or information”, says António Leitão da Silva.

The training is accompanied by a booklet, to simplify and assist in the interaction of the agent, as well as a kit, which contains, among other elements, the Porto.CARD, to boost knowledge of the city's tourist offers.

“This training also helps our agents to make the city more cosmopolitan, more inclusive, to have a value-added and more sustainable tourism,” concluded the Municipal Police commander.