The Austin Convention and Visitors Bureau is seeking recruits for a not-so-top secret mission.

The CVB’s C.I.A. (Communicating Incredible Austin) program launched earlier this month to help educate volunteers on the best ways to keep visitors informed and excited about the community.

“Ultimately, it’s just a personalized welcome and information for visitors who come into Austin,” CVB Executive Director Nancy Schnable said.

According to Schnable, the C.I.A. program gives volunteers personal attention and recognition in a unique way. People can sign up for the C.I.A. program and dedicate however much time they want to help visitors, but they first have to prove themselves.

Their task, should they choose to accept it, is to complete a 25-question trivia test on Austin’s history, from wacky memories to intriguing factoids about some of the most memorable Austin hotspots.

“It’s a nice refresher course for people who have been in Austin a really long time,” Schnable said. “We have a lot of special, hidden gems in town.”

People can call or visit the CVB to learn more details and sign up as a C.I.A. agent. In addition, the CVB will hold a C.I.A. agent session in June to recruit more residents ready to represent Austin. Even people from out of town are joining the CVB — an Owatonna resident and Austin native has signed up so she can speak about her hometown whenever she has a spare weekend, according to Schnable.

“It’s for all different ages,” she said. “We can find a spot for you for sure.”

Questions used in the CVB’s C.I.A. Trivia

1. Every night there are Twinkling Stars in Austin … where?

2. The Nativity House in Austin has over ___# of complete nativity scenes.

3. What year is the oldest bike in the Rydjor Bike Museum?

4. If you are traveling on I-90, how many exits are into Austin?

5. The Horace Austin State Park was once located in Austin, what animal lived there- Monkey? Zebra? Alligator?

Answers

1. Historic Paramount Theatre; 2. 850; 3. 1868; 4. 7; 5. Monkey