Willing to discover
the town off the beaten tracks through the eyes of a Mons local?
Fancy trying a
different way to explore Mons and its surroundings?
A Greeter will give you the best advices to enjoy your stay in Mons and its region.
Mons Greeters are local volunteers who are passionate about their town and its region and want to share their passion and personal highlights with visitors.
This concept was born
in New York in the early 90s, Lynn Brooks, noticed how the Big Apple was intimidating to the visitors. It was hoped that the program, sponsored by Manhattan borough president would improve New York's reputation as a "dangerous, expensive and overwhelming" place by letting tourists see it through the eyes of its residents. This idea soon spread to a variety of tourist destinations across the world, and it becomes The Global Greeter Network.
After Brussels in 2010,
Mons was the first Walloon city to join the network in 2012. At the beginning about twenty volunteer members of Mons Greeters Network welcoming the visitors in
six different languages: French, English, Italian, Dutch, Spanish and
Indonesian.
Thought
they’re not a professional tourist guide, they will show visitor a different
way to explore the area, based on interests.. like their favorite places etc. The
meeting can be done upon reservation, every day depending on the
visitor's request and subject to availability of Greeters (ideally between 8 am - 10 pm). It takes around 2-4 hours in a group of maximum 6 people and free of charge.
This is a very unique experience. I personally had tried and met the Greeters, when visiting the town of Charleroi and Thuin. Not only I have better understanding about those places through the eyes of locals, I have new friends. Thanks Dimitri and Marie!
For
more info and how to find a Greeter:
www.monsgreeters.be