Tirol Tourist Board thanks YOG volunteers for their excellent work

Their dedication and enthusiasm are inspiring: the roughly 1,400 YOG volunteers performing unpaid work on the occasion of the 1st Winter Youth Olympic Games in order to make this sports event an unforgettable success. They have truly internalised the YOG DNA and celebrate the motto of these Games ‘Be part of it’ in an exemplary manner. Even though they often remain unnoticed by the public and act behind the scenes, they spare no efforts for ‘their’ YOG. People of all ages, the youngest volunteer being 18, the oldest 83, coming from more than 50 countries of origin have gathered in Tirol during the YOG to create something that cannot be expressed by numbers: a sense of community and togetherness in the spirit of the five Olympic rings.

‘The YOG volunteers are the true heroes of these Winter Games, and we would like to express our sincere gratitude and appreciation’, pays Josef Margreiter, Head of the Tirol Tourist Board, tribute to the volunteers. In order to thank them for their commitment, the Tirol Tourist Board invites the hard-working helpers to get to know better the host region Tirol during their time off. The activities offered range from skiing and tobogganing excursions to trips to Tirol’s most famous attractions. Last Monday, Mr Margreiter invited the volunteers to visit the Swarovski Crystal Worlds in Wattens.

There was a cheerful and lively atmosphere already on the shuttle bus specially provided for the excursion, and during the short ride from Innsbruck to Wattens the volunteers took the opportunity to meet new people from all over the world. The group was just as international as the YOG themselves and included guests from Australia, China, Germany, Russia, Singapore and, of course, Austria who were all thrilled about Tirol’s most visited attraction. After they had been welcomed personally by Crystal Worlds press officer Christina Schwarz, the volunteers were treated to an exclusive guided tour through the Giant. At the end of the tour, the eyes of the impressed visitors were sparkling just as much as the exhibits themselves. The volunteers agreed unanimously that Tirolean hospitality is heart-warming.

In fact, it is the volunteers themselves who make an indispensable contribution to presenting Tirol as a perfect host of the 1st Winter Youth Olympic Games before the world public. For instance, 190 YOG volunteers alone look after the respective national teams through the NOC service and 240 helpers work at the sports venues, not to mention the countless tasks to be performed behind the scenes which would remain undone without the tireless dedication of the helpers. ‘The YOG volunteers doubtlessly deserve a gold medal.’