The day of the Guide
The World Federation of Tour Guide Associations website
To those of working in Tourism, today is an important day … it’s the International Day of the Guide.
It’s not recognized as a Professional Holiday here in Kyrgyzstan, even though Tourism is considered to be a priority area for the Country Development Strategy. Here the International Day of Tourism, (September 27th every year, as designated by the World Tourism Organization), is the designated professional holiday, the day when everyone involved in the tourism industry “celebrates” and marks their chosen profession.
So why is there an International Day of the Guide?
I suppose that there are several answers to that question … one of which would be that the Guide, “a person who leads travelers or tourists through unknown or unfamiliar locations”, plays a pivotal and vital role in the industry. They are “front of house”, dealing directly with the clients, the first (and sometimes the only) representative of the host population that a tourist may meet and communicate with.
For the record: The International Day of the the Guide, was an initiative of the World Federation of Tour Guide Associations – a non-profit, non-political organization based in Austria which aims to promote market and ensure that tourist guides are recognized as “professional ambassadors”.
The organization of such a Federation was first proposed at a convention of of tourist guides held in 1985 and established in 1987. It now has members in over 70 countries, (including Kyrgyzstan), and their combined membership numbers more than 200,000 individual guides.
Although, technically, it is a federation of associations, in countries where there is no Association, the individual tour guides can also join. The also unite educational institutions and other bodies which they describe as partners, which have a interest in the work of tour guides.
The published aims of the Federation is:
- establishing contact with tourist guide associations, individuals, tourism training institutes throughout the world and to reinforcing their professional ties
- representing professional tourist guides internationally and to promoting and protecting their interests
- enhancing the image of the profession and promoting the use of area specific local tourist guides in all regions
- promoting a universal code of ethics and skills
- raising, encouraging and establishing the highest standards of professionalism
- developing international training, and improving the quality of guiding through education and training
- facilitating the exchange of information between members
Their Code of Practice is short but is aimed at assuring a high level of professionalism and service offered by guides to their clients. It requires that members:
- provide a professional service to visitors, professional in care and commitment, and professional in providing an objective understanding of the place visited, free from prejudice or propaganda.
- ensure that as far as possible what is presented as fact is true, and that a clear distinction is made between this truth and stories, legends, traditions, or opinions.
- act fairly and reasonable in all dealings with all those who engage the services of guides and with colleagues working in all aspects of tourism.
- protect the reputation of tourism in our country by making every endeavour to ensure that guided groups treat with respect the environment, wildlife, sights and monuments, and also local customs and sensitivities.
- representatives of the host country to welcome visitors and act in such a way as to bring credit to the country visited and promote it as a tourist destination.
The day is held on February 21st every year, and has been marked annually since the first such day in 1990 when just 15 countries participated. Events are organized at a local level for tourist guides, including presentations and training courses. Some member associations have also organized events such as free tours for members of the public on the day.
Bishkek