davieG Posted 17 August 2016 Posted 17 August 2016 Leicester is planning a world-wide charm offensive to capitalise on the achievements of its Premier League winning football heroes. City council officials have drawn up a plan to tap in to the success of Claudio Ranieri's team last season. Their aim is to build the city's reputation as a destination on the back of the Foxes' incredible footballing story and their qualification for this year's Champions' League. City's European adventure is expected to bring in an influx of visitors when they play their three home matches in the competition between next month and December. City's opponents will be revealed in a draw taking place on August 25 in Monaco. But city centre director Sarah Harrison said the plans for the "Leicester Welcome'' are already well underway. She said teams of greeters would be deployed at Leicester railway station to welcome overseas fans on Champions' League match days. Read more: 'Avant garde model eco-village' plan for Leicester She said: "When the fans from Europe come, first impressions are so important. We think most of these will be arriving by rail directly from St Pancras or having taken the train from the airports. The greeters are really important, handing out information, directing them to the ground and to the city centre and giving them information on what there is to do in the city centre. "There will be signs at the railway station and the Clock Tower so we don't get people wandering down London Road when they want to be in the city centre. We are going to do foreign language training for businesses in the city centre. This is not going to be extensive, it will just be a polite 'hola', but at least it will be a nice touch." image: http://tag-dyn.omnitagjs.com/fo-dyn/native/preview/image?key=a410b91b87b8c64ed6e7bec8e2d1c988&ztop=0.06794055201698514&zleft=0.2798964968152866&zwidth=0.4847929936305732&zheight=0.8618542108987969&width=80&height=80&kind=INTERNAL Get a little taste of Rio this summer ! You’re off to Rio to enjoy the sun, sea, and Olympics this summer, where it’s best to catch some rays ? So if you’re keen to “Tenha uma boa praia”, here’s all you need to know about the carioca Sponsored by Havaianas image: http://fo-static.omnitagjs.com/fo-static/native/images/info-blue.png To help foreign fans navigate the city, 70 totem signs with maps of bars, restaurants and hotels will be erected. Attempts to get visiting fans to extend their trips beyond match day will begin before they set foot on a train or plane. Mrs Harrison said: "Through Visit Britain we will be able to establish relationships with the tourist information offices in the European cities when we know who we will actually play. "We want to get to the fans before they travel to Leicester. We want to encourage them to stay longer and not just go to the match – to come for the weekend and if they don't, to come back and enjoy the city at a later stage." Read more: Taxi driver describes how he thought he was going to be shot by 'gunman' There will also be a media campaign in Thailand – the home land of Leicester City's owners, where more than a million people took to the streets of Bangkok to cheer the players as they paraded the Premier League trophy. Mrs Harrison added: "We were also contacted by Premier League TV for a 30-second promo film about Leicester City, but they wanted the cultural offer in Leicester as well. It will include the Golden Mile, the Clock Tower, the National Space Centre and Curve. "This will be broadcast to 62 million people in Africa and Asia. We want to speak to tourists, we want to speak to our trade and inward investment friends, arts and culture, retail and our universities "We want to dispel the belief that our history only began in 2012 when we discovered King Richard III. We have the fantastic 2,000-year-old Story of Leicester." Read more at http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/city-council-reveals-plans-to-welcome-visiting-champions-league-fans-to-leicester/story-29625959-detail/story.html#8eMo8OBLBviU6rCS.99
C-man Posted 17 August 2016 Posted 17 August 2016 I think they are ever so slightly misjudging the mentality of foreign football fans...
yorkie1999 Posted 17 August 2016 Posted 17 August 2016 Don't think you really need to go on a foreign language training course to say "Hola"
Guest seanfox778 Posted 17 August 2016 Posted 17 August 2016 The scenes when we draw Napoli or Zenit St Petersburg.
MarriedaLeicesterGirl Posted 17 August 2016 Posted 17 August 2016 Last year "Leicester" was the most searched place name in the world several times on Twitter. Did the Council actually ever tweet info about visiting the city during games? Not once...every prostitute in the county took advantage of the attention, but poor Richard III got no love.
Voll Blau Posted 17 August 2016 Posted 17 August 2016 A fact-finder to Zagreb might've done them some good here...
Guest MattP Posted 17 August 2016 Posted 17 August 2016 29 minutes ago, C-man said: I think they are ever so slightly misjudging the mentality of foreign football fans... Expecting politicians to understand English football fans is hard enough, what a waste of money.
Finnegan Posted 17 August 2016 Posted 17 August 2016 Quote "We want to get to the fans before they travel to Leicester. We want to encourage them to stay longer and not just go to the match – to come for the weekend and if they don't, to come back and enjoy the city at a later stage." Read more: Taxi driver describes how he thought he was going to be shot by 'gunman'
Captain... Posted 17 August 2016 Posted 17 August 2016 36 minutes ago, davieG said: Read more: Taxi driver describes how he thought he was going to be shot by 'gunman' They should probably remove this bit if they are trying to attract people to Leicester... I think signs and pointing people towards bars and the city centre is a good idea. I also think a number of football fans would look into staying a couple of days making it in to more of a trip, but unless we put on extra flights to east midlands with added transport to Leicester then most will fly to London, get the train up and then go back to London for a couple of days. They will have done a fantastic job if they get anyone to stay in Leicester for any more than the night of the game, but fair play for trying.
Guest MattP Posted 17 August 2016 Posted 17 August 2016 2 minutes ago, Captain... said: They should probably remove this bit if they are trying to attract people to Leicester... I think signs and pointing people towards bars and the city centre is a good idea. I also think a number of football fans would look into staying a couple of days making it in to more of a trip, but unless we put on extra flights to east midlands with added transport to Leicester then most will fly to London, get the train up and then go back to London for a couple of days. They will have done a fantastic job if they get anyone to stay in Leicester for any more than the night of the game, but fair play for trying. The scenes when a few Monaco fans get a slap in the Market Tavern will be something to behold. Actually the scenes of the countil workers trying to teach the staff and punters in there "hello, how are you" in Israeli will be even better.
Finnegan Posted 17 August 2016 Posted 17 August 2016 As for the idea, eh, it's a bit tacky but it'll consist of a small bit of grant money and a couple of hippy city hall staff that are usually doing Photoshop projects to promote Richard III etc. No real harm. It's an opportunity to promote the city, they're hardly going to ignore it. The comments about foreign football fans are dumb. You think EVERY travelling fan of every club from a slightly cool, edgy, ultra appreciating country is going to be some violent, piss head nutter? We have fans that are looking forward to a few trips away to some different cities, not just for the football, don't see why other teams wouldn't be the same.
sm1 Posted 17 August 2016 Posted 17 August 2016 18 minutes ago, MattP said: Expecting politicians to understand English football fans is hard enough, what a waste of money. Waste of our money. Next those parasites will be suggesting going on an all expenses paid "fact finding" mission to Europe, to see how other cities do it.
Finnegan Posted 17 August 2016 Posted 17 August 2016 4 minutes ago, sm1 said: Waste of our money. Next those parasites will be suggesting going on a "fact finding" mission to Europe, to see how other cities do it. I love how ridiculously off the perception of the council is by some on here. I could definitely see some pratt like Vaz jetting round Europe on tax payers money, "representing Leicester" but the council wince in pain if they have to pay for their staff to do a training course run by Leicester college. They're not going to shell out to send Karen from the arts department to Prague or Paris on a good will mission.
Guest MattP Posted 17 August 2016 Posted 17 August 2016 14 minutes ago, Finnegan said: The comments about foreign football fans are dumb. You think EVERY travelling fan of every club from a slightly cool, edgy, ultra appreciating country is going to be some violent, piss head nutter? We have fans that are looking forward to a few trips away to some different cities, not just for the football, don't see why other teams wouldn't be the same. The sort of fans who want to enjoy the cultural aspects of the City aren't going to need directions, pretty sure they'll have looked it up already, if not I'd hazard a guess most people have a phone these days. You would think we live in 1950 the way the council behaves, signs directing people and teaching a country where about 95% of the population have been to Benidorm to say "Hola".
Finnegan Posted 17 August 2016 Posted 17 August 2016 4 minutes ago, MattP said: The sort of fans who want to enjoy the cultural aspects of the City aren't going to need directions, pretty sure they'll have looked it up already, if not I'd hazard a guess most people have a phone these days. You would think we live in 1950 the way the council behaves, signs directing people and teaching a country where about 95% of the population have been to Benidorm to say "Hola". Oh yeah, I agree it's tacky as hell and verging on offensive given how well just about everyone else in Europe speaks English. But it's also not going to cost a great deal and the staff involved are already spending their time "promoting the city." Just about every council in the country will have similar teams, even in ****ing Bradford or Milton Keynes or Wakefield or wherever. Shit, even Coventry probably spends some money trying to convince people it's not a dive.
Fox92 Posted 17 August 2016 Posted 17 August 2016 Can understand the idea wanting them to stay for a while and visit the City of Leicester.
Finnegan Posted 17 August 2016 Posted 17 August 2016 Besides, their first impression of Leicester would otherwise probably be some fat scouse or cockney trying to sell them a limited edition half and half scarf for a tenner.
Voll Blau Posted 17 August 2016 Posted 17 August 2016 47 minutes ago, Finnegan said: As for the idea, eh, it's a bit tacky but it'll consist of a small bit of grant money and a couple of hippy city hall staff that are usually doing Photoshop projects to promote Richard III etc. No real harm. It's an opportunity to promote the city, they're hardly going to ignore it. The comments about foreign football fans are dumb. You think EVERY travelling fan of every club from a slightly cool, edgy, ultra appreciating country is going to be some violent, piss head nutter? We have fans that are looking forward to a few trips away to some different cities, not just for the football, don't see why other teams wouldn't be the same. Of course nobody thinks that. I think most just think it would probably be a wise idea to make sure the 'greeters' are aware of what an element of foreign supports *can* be like before naively sending them wandering through the station concourse with a wave and a smile towards a moody looking group of Legia Warsaw fans.
Buce Posted 17 August 2016 Posted 17 August 2016 55 minutes ago, MattP said: The scenes when a few Monaco fans get a slap in the Market Tavern will be something to behold. Actually the scenes of the countil workers trying to teach the staff and punters in there "hello, how are you" in Israeli will be even better. As a well-travelled man, I'd have thought you'd know that there is no such language as Israeli.
Finnegan Posted 17 August 2016 Posted 17 August 2016 5 minutes ago, Voll Blau said: Of course nobody thinks that. I think most just think it would probably be a wise idea to make sure the 'greeters' are aware of what an element of foreign supports *can* be like before naively sending them wandering through the station concourse with a wave and a smile towards a moody looking group of Legia Warsaw fans. I'm not an expert in football hooligan culture but I'd personally find it surprising if the first thing a gang did on the platform of Leicester station would be attacking some over friendly council worker mispronouncing "jak sie masz" with a cheesy customer service smile, five feet away from about a hundred police.
Buce Posted 17 August 2016 Posted 17 August 2016 37 minutes ago, Finnegan said: Oh yeah, I agree it's tacky as hell and verging on offensive given how well just about everyone else in Europe speaks English. But it's also not going to cost a great deal and the staff involved are already spending their time "promoting the city." Just about every council in the country will have similar teams, even in ****ing Bradford or Milton Keynes or Wakefield or wherever. Shit, even Coventry probably spends some money trying to convince people it's not a dive. Even Bill Gates hasn't got that much money..
Fox92 Posted 17 August 2016 Posted 17 August 2016 Why is it any different to Manchester United, Liverpool or West Ham turning up for a league game... these clubs carry reputations. When I was at Uni in Manchester I shared the same bus with groups of Dortmund fans, Bayern fans and Ajax fans without seeing any ounce of trouble. I don't understand the idea that fans are going to get off a train with the intention of smashing everything up or intimidating folk. I'm no expert about foreign hooliganism, because I've no interest in it, but I think some of you are making much ado about nothing. I suspect every club in the World has it's idiots - even us - but the majority of people go to games to turn up and support their side, at least that's what I do. I can fully understand the Council wanting visitors to explore. When Dortmund played Liverpool last season there were videos of their fans taking in Beatles stuff. The City can something to see, especially with Richard III now.
Guest MattP Posted 17 August 2016 Posted 17 August 2016 20 minutes ago, Buce said: As a well-travelled man, I'd have thought you'd know that there is no such language as Israeli. Rookie error that, apologies.
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