As the fourth largest and most diverse city in the U.S., Houston offers an abundance of experiences and exciting things to do for everyone – from Space Center Houston and a myriad of world-class museums to an evening in the Theater District or a delectable dining experience in Asiatown. To ensure that visitors experience Houston’s many attractions and exciting culinary scene, Houston First is launching a redesigned Houston Insider program with a focus on educating and engaging frontline hospitality staff to better address questions about the area and promote it as a leisure destination.

“Unlike the previous version of the Houston Insider program that focused on local consumers, the new version of the program is concentrated on Houston’s hospitality industry,” said Jorge Franz, Senior Vice President of Tourism & Industry Relations at Houston First.

In the aftermath of the pandemic, which caused considerable staff turnover across hotels and other hospitality organizations, Houston First determined that resources were best used to help train the tens of thousands of frontline staff who interact with visitors to better “sell” the Houston experience.

The new Houston Insider program offers participants in-person or virtual training, a certificate of completion, and invitations to exclusive events among a variety of other insider opportunities. The training consists of strategic information and resources – from places to shop and new developments to award-winning restaurants and unique experiences for tourists – that hospitality professionals can use daily when interacting with visitors. Additionally, through incentives like passes to sightseeing tours, tastings, shows and sporting events, “insiders” get to experience themselves much of what Houston has to offer, making them more enthusiastic ambassadors for the city.

Houston First aims to train 2,500 hotel frontline staff by the end of 2024.

“This educational program will support our tremendous hospitality workers in doing their work while showcasing to them firsthand what makes Houston so special – we should all should be proud to promote Houston,” said Franz.  

To learn more about the Houston Insider, visit VisitHouston/Insider or to schedule a training, call 832.925.9304.