Sports trust Wave Leisure has teamed up with Tourism South East to train its staff in customer service skills.

Staff from the Sussex-based trust have completed two of Tourism South East's Welcome Host Plus courses focusing on dealing with challenging situations, building a winning team and aiming for world-class customer service.

Employees from across the organisation's six centres were presented with certificates by Tourism South East chief executive Mike Bedingfield, who said: "There are both exciting and challenging times ahead for our region's tourism industry.

"With 2012 fast approaching we must prepare our tourism businesses to welcome the world in a challenging economic climate and our specially-tailored training courses can help these businesses stay one step ahead. It is businesses such as Wave Leisure, who take the initiative to invest in their employees who will reap the long-term rewards."

Peter Crowley, managing director of Wave Leisure, said: "As one of Sussex's most proactive leisure trusts, we work hard to engage with and invest in our employees. It is crucial for us to be delivering the very best service to our customers, community and stakeholders, and we can continue to ensure we offer the very best through enabling our staff to be the best they can."