July 5, 2005
Big Apple Greeter: New York City's Fabulous
Free Way of Welcoming Visitors and Showing Them Around
Several cities now have "Greeter" or "Ambassador"
programs, where local volunteers provide out-of-town travelers with
their time and knowledge of their city. I have used these greeter
services twice, once in 2003 in Chicago, and just recently this
May in New York City.
Greeter services are a fabulous - and free - way of exploring a
city through the eyes of an insider, a local resident who shows
you around. They are also a great way to make a local human connection
and to find an instant friend in a new city. Gail Morse, Director
of Marketing and Public Relations of the Big Apple Greeter organization,
will tell us more now about the Greeter program in New York City.
1. What are “Big Apple Greeters”? What does
a visit with a Big Apple Greeter entail? What makes this experience
so special?
The mission of the organization is to enhance the worldwide
image of New York City by connecting visitors with enthusiastic
volunteers. What we do is match visitors with New Yorkers who volunteer
to show some of New York City’s many neighborhoods. Visits
are 2 to 4 hours long, and Greeters meet no more than a total of
6 visitors at one time. We do not match up visitors who don’t
know each other, so if one person asks for a Greeter, that visitor
has his or her own Greeter.
2. Please tell us how the Big Apple Greeter organization
creates a unique and customized experience for each visit, based
on the visitors’ interests. Do you have some Greeters that
offer their services in foreign languages?
Visitors are matched by neighborhoods requested, language the visitor
speaks, and, when possible, interests. We don’t take visitors
to the major tourist attractions since visitor’s can easily
do that on their own. Greeters take visitors to places that are
generally off the beaten tourist path, giving personal recommendations
for places to eat and shop, and other things to see and do. Greeters
also help visitors use the subway and busses. Visitors get to see
New York City through the eyes of a New Yorker and get to make an
instant friend. This makes the city seem more manageable and less
daunting. Greeters are not licensed, professional tour guides. There
are no set itineraries, theme tours or pre-set start times; each
Greeter visit is unique. Greeters can welcome visitors in 22 languages.
3. Having a greeter program in any large city is a fabulous
resource for visitors. Who came up with the idea and when? How has
the Big Apple Greeter Program evolved since its inception?
Big Apple Greeter is the first Greeter service of its kind. Founder
Lynn Brooks came up with the idea during the 1980s while she was
traveling through Europe on vacation. Lynn found that, while most
people wanted to visit New York City, most felt the city was too
overwhelming, dangerous and expensive. Lynn decided that everyone
needed to know what she knew – that New York City is just
a great big small town. Since Lynn couldn’t personally show
every visitor the New York City she knew, she thought the best way
to change peoples’ minds was to have visitors get to know
New York City through the eyes of a New Yorker. Big Apple Greeter
started as an initiative of the Office of the Manhattan Borough
President and became an independent non-profit organization in 1992.
4. How many Greeters are there today? What does it take
to become a Big Apple Greeter?
There are about 350 Greeters today. Greeters are not licensed, professional
tour guides, but volunteers who are enthusiastic, love to meet people,
love New York City and want to give something back. To become a
Greeter, an applicant fills out a long questionnaire, has a personal
interview and, if selected, attends a 3-hour orientation. We look
for enthusiasm, communication and people skills.
5. Who can take advantage of a Big Apple Greeter? How is
the Greeter matched up with the visitor?
Big Apple Greeter’s services are for visitors to New York
City. Visitors must stay within the five boroughs of New York City
for at least 2 nights. Visitors and Greeters are matched by the
language spoken by the visitors, the neighborhoods the visitors
would like to see, and, if possible, the visitors’ interests.
6. The Big Apple Greeter experience is free for the traveler.
How is that possible? Please also comment on your no-tipping policy.
The 350 Greeters are all volunteers, and there are about 30 volunteers
in the office who administer the program or work in other areas
of the organization, such as fundraising, computer network maintenance,
and public relations. There are 8 paid staff. Funds are raised through
grants from corporations and foundations, and donations from individuals.
Big Apple Greeter is a free service, and Greeters don’t accept
tips. The Greeter service is based on a love of New York City, a
willingness to share that love with a visitor, and the human connection
created between people - New Yorker and visitor. If a visitor would
like to show appreciation for the service and generous spirit of
a Greeter, the visitor might like to make a donation to Big Apple
Greeter through our website, www.bigapplegreeter.org.
7. In addition to being free, a visit with a Big Apple
Greeter also offers some additional free benefits. Please tell us
a bit more about that.
Each visitor gets a $4 (2-ride) Metro Card to be used during a Greeter
visit. Greeters help visitors become oriented to the busses and
subways of New York City, showing them how easy and quickly they
can get all over the city.
8. What is the procedure for requesting to meet a greeter?
How far in advance should the request be made? What is the likelihood
of getting to meet a Greeter?
Visitors fill in the Visit Request Form found on our website, www.bigapplegreeter.org
, at least one month prior to arrival in New York City. Before submitting
the Form, please have travel dates and accommodations confirmed
for at least 2 nights within New York City. During the busiest months
we may run out of available volunteer Greeters and disappoint some
visitors.
9. New York City was one of the first North American city
to develop a greeter program. Since then this popular initiative
has spawned other greeter programs in other cities across the US,
Canada and internationally. Please tell us a bit about how the NYC
Big Apple Greeters helped other cities to develop their own greeters
program.
The first off-shoot was Melbourne Greeter Service in Melbourne,
Australia, in 1999, started in anticipation of the increased tourism
expected due to the Sydney Olympics in 2000. Big Apple Greeter was
asked to act as consultants on the project. Big Apple Greeter next
consulted on Chicago Greeter in 2002. There are now Greeter programs
in Adelaide, Australia; Fairbanks, Alaska; Houston, Texas; and Toronto,
Ontario, Canada. Whether we consulted on a project or helped out
with friendly support and encouragement, all these programs are
excellent. Each is a little different, reflecting the differences
in each city, but the principles are the same: extending a volunteer’s
welcoming hand to a visitor, showing hometown pride, offering a
free service to the public and a great volunteer opportunity to
a local resident.
Thank you for your time, Gail, and for informing us about this
unique organization.
Useful books for travel to New York City:
Related articles:
Here is my New York City budget accommodation guide -
small hotels.
Here is my New York City budget accommodation guide - hostels.
Here is my New York City budget accommodation guide - bed
and breakfasts.
Live New York Travel Stories:
"Hello from New
York City (1) - First Impressions of the Big Apple"
"Hello from New
York City (2) - Exploring Mid-Town Manhattan"
"Hello from New
York City (3) - Brooklyn Bridge, Ground Zero, Downtown"
"Hello from New
York City (4) - Staten Island and a Random Act of Violence"
"Hello from New
York City (5) - A Local Expert Takes Us Through Queens"
"Hello from New
York City (6) - Checking Out Coney Island and Harlem"
"Hello from New
York City (7) - Prospect Park & Washington Square Park"
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