Ambassador Force in the News

July 15,2009

Just because you live in the Atlanta metro area doesn’t mean you’re completely familiar with downtown Atlanta. That’s understandable. With 14 counties making up the Atlanta metro area, the city of Atlanta can seem like a foreign locale.

Enter the Atlanta Ambassador Force. The Ambassador Force was created in 1996 to provide help and assistance to visitors during the Olympics. The group receives funding from the Atlanta Downtown Improvement District. It's made made up of more than 60 people who are easily identified in the throng of pedestrians by their summertime white uniforms and pith helmets. If they’re not on foot, you’ll see them riding a Segway transporter or going by on an all-terrain bicycle.

The Ambassador Force staffs a booth at the corner of Peachtree Street and Andrew Young International Boulevard. There you’ll find maps and other material helpful for navigating the city. They patrol a 220 block area that runs from North Avenue to Memorial Drive and the Georgia World Congress Center to the Downtown Connector. While they provide some good ole Southern hospitality by assisting residents and tourists every day, they also act as a deterrent to crime by working in concert with the Atlanta police department and alerting them to activities that need their attention.

Each ambassador has had over 200 hours of training. Below is a short list of the type of help you can expect from them.

Information on what to do in Atlanta
Directions on where to find historic sites, hotels, businesses
Escort to a parking garage or the MARTA station
Restaurant recommendations
Medical assistance
Ambassadors are conveniently accessible every day. During the week, you’ll see them as early as 6:00 a.m. to as late as midnight. The next time you’re downtown and see an ambassador, let them know how much you appreciate what they do to make the city of Atlanta safer and more hospitable