Global Best Practice for Tour Guides
The past 18 months have undoubtedly been a major challenge for tourist guides around the world. Our work disappeared overnight and we had to seriously consider our future in unmapped territory. Some guides discovered there was no financial help available, others had to fight for it and even in the UK the support has been patchy. However, now is time for us to look to the future.
We have opportunities in domestic visitors or perhaps working closely with visitor attractions to give them the benefit of our professional experience as interpreters of the unique qualities of Northern Ireland’s tangible and intangible heritage.
Remember Tourist Guides are ambassadors for Northern Ireland and in addition to support the health and dsafety of our guests.
While we are thinking about this and planning our future, we should perhaps look beyond our own borders for inspiration. We have colleagues around the world facing similar challenges and now is the time to really connect with them, learn and share ideas, best practice and trends. We will all have to adapt and be flexible – grow and add to our experience and offerings.
What is Happening Elsewhere?
Live virtual events are taking place all over the world and proceedings can often be followed later on YouTube.
Two days of panels and speakers to help tourist guides raise their guiding game to the next level with opportunities to learn, reconnect with colleagues and with tour operators and others in the industry. Is this something you could organize in Northern Ireland?
Proceedings can be followed on the following link.
- World Federation Of Tourist Guide Associations (WFTGA) has members in more than 90 countries. UK Members are: Northern Ireland Tourist Guides Association (NITGA); Scottish Tourist Guides Association (STGA); Welsh Official Tourist Guides Association (WOTGA); British Guild of Registered Tourist Guides (BGRTG); Association of Professional Tourist Guides (APTG)
There are opportunities to learn and share whether or not you are currently a WFTGA member.
- WFTGA Virtual Conference in March 2021 was attended by more than 700 tourism experts from around the world. speakers were world class and included Sam Ham the guru of interpretation and Erik Wolf of the World Food Tourism Forum. There are lots of ideas for future recovery and best practice – you can still watch it for free!
There is advice and help available from International Experts
- Come back case for Tourist Guides
- Food Travel Talk TV: Planning recovery for the tourist guide industry with WFTGA President Alushca Ritchie
This also touches on the new qualification for Culinary Tourist Guides. It is only available to licensed or qualified tourist guides and members of WFTGA Member Association can get a discount. More information can be found here.
For latest daily news go to the WFTGA social media sites:
For the past 35 years the WFTGA Hands of Friendship and Guiding have been bringing tourist guides together.