WE*GENERATE Podcast #8 – Ulla Svenningsen Lund, VisitAarhus

Why should DMOs invest resources in volunteer initiatives?

How can DMOs ensure they are providing volunteers with purposeful tasks that go beyond simply directing visitors? How does the volunteers of VisitAarhus ReThinkers create cultural exchanges far beyond touristic sightseeing? What happens when volunteers and residents become the “face” of a destination? In this second instalment of WE*GENERATE: COMMUNITY, we speak with Ulla Svenningsen Lund, Head of Engagement and Volunteers for VisitAarhus. We look into how ReThinkers creates opportunities for volunteers and visitors for purposeful and rewarding interactions.

Takeaways

• ReThinkers is a volunteer initiative by VisitAarhus (Denmark) which has been developed to create meaningful interactions between visitors and residents, offering them both the opportunity for authentic cultural exchanges.
• Why do volunteers use their precious spare time to take part in a city’s volunteer initiative? Ulla answers that citizens of Aarhus usually say that it is because they want to give back to Aarhus.
• VisitAarhus has over 2,000 volunteers, and this initiative includes anything from volunteers greeting visitors at the harbour to being extras on stage at the Royal Theatre.
• Ulla advises to provide your volunteers with meaningful tasks if you want a successfully motivate and keep a group of volunteers. Through proper planning, clear structure, and with the right resources committed, volunteers can become an integral part of any destination’s tourism offer.

The WE*GENERATE podcast series interviews destinations across Europe to find out what it really means to generate together, regenerative tourism futures. WE*GENERATE invites you into candid conversations to learn about the pursuits of really dedicated people: from CityDNA members and urbanists to community leaders, creatives from arts and culture, and volunteers. Collective action and collaboration are essential in addressing the complex challenges of our time, and Welcoming Wegeneration* is a manifest of collective responsibility.

If you have any comments of questions about the podcast, please contact host Sarah Frosh.

*Read more here about the Welcoming Wegeneration strategy