Dear Members, dear colleagues,
The end of the year is always a good moment to pause and reflect on where we stand. This message was originally intended to reach you before New Year, but as it will now go out in the coming days, it also serves as a bridge into 2026. With our term of office ending in February and a new Executive Board to be elected at the Convention in Fukuoka (Japan), I would like to share a brief review of the past two years, and an honest outlook on what lies ahead.
Looking back: from survival mode to momentum
When we were elected in January 2024, it took time for the new Board to find its rhythm. The handover was not as smooth as hoped, and the Federation was operating in something close to survival mode. Administrative routines were firmly in place, but there was too little strategic direction and not enough focus on the new reality of our work: digitalisation, rising software costs, and changing member expectations.
In 2025 we gained real momentum. We focused on two core questions. What do our members truly need, both our Associations and the Guides they represent? How must WFTGA be structured, organisationally and financially, so that we can do more than administer and actually shape the future?
Finances: uncomfortable, but essential
One major blind spot was our financial model. Membership fees had not been adjusted for more than 15 years, while costs for software, digital infrastructure, communication, and administration have risen significantly. Without change, WFTGA would have faced a very serious situation within a few years.
That is why we adjusted membership fees this autumn to return to a balanced budget. It was a necessary step. At the same time, a balanced budget does not yet give us real capacity for investment, larger projects, or sustainable development. Creating that capacity is one of the most important tasks for the years ahead.
Minimum standards: what a global federation must reliably deliver
In parallel, we began defining what “minimum standards” should look like for a modern global Federation and which services we must provide consistently and reliably. We introduced a new digital Cultour Card, which is more modern, easier to obtain, and already well accepted. The next step is to keep building its value and benefits.
We redesigned the newsletter and have started publishing WFTGA Statements on relevant topics to strengthen our public voice. This will take time and it will require stronger lobbying, partnerships, and a clearer external presence.
We are also developing a members-only area that will bring structure and continuity to how we work. This includes a document archive and recordings library, a calendar function, and a platform for exchange across regions. It also includes clearer governance for document structure and access rights, and a more consistent system for organisational email access and continuity.
Convention and bidding: fit for the future
A central priority has been ensuring that the Convention in Japan will be a success. We have held weekly coordination calls with our hosts and built a new Convention website that can be reused for future events.
We also redesigned the bidding process. The new document is comprehensive and clearly structured, making expectations and responsibilities easier to understand for all parties and aligning the process with today’s requirements.
For future Conventions, our direction is clear. There will continue to be a strong hosted and cultural programme, including site visits and on-the-ground experiences. At the same time, these elements should always be connected to professional learning. Every destination offers an opportunity to sharpen guiding skills, from interpretation and storytelling to group management, accessibility, sustainability, and working confidently in digital contexts. We want our Convention format to develop further towards a stronger business-conference character with more networking and professional development, while staying true to our values.
Community formats: exchange that truly matters
2025 was also a year in which our community programmes grew meaningfully.
The Global Networking Forum has become a unique service for the worldwide guide community, with 12 structured sessions offering insight, analysis, and exchange across countries and languages. My sincere thanks to Maricar Donato and our Area Representatives for making this happen. We intend to expand this further.
Association Journeys continued and remain an important platform to showcase best practices and strengthen peer learning.
In training, we launched the CPD Series and laid groundwork on our website for a future course platform. My thanks to Viola Lewis, our Head of Training, for her strong commitment and leadership.
A personal and honest note: my health, my role, and what comes next
I need to share something openly. The workload of the past year has pushed me into burnout. I am saying this not to create concern, but because transparency matters, and because it connects directly to what WFTGA needs next.
I am a full-time tourist guide and earn my living from this profession. In 2025 my volunteer hours for WFTGA often averaged 30 to 40 hours per week, and in some weeks reached 60 to 80 hours. This included site inspections, the Trainers Convention, ongoing organisation, and a considerable amount of hands-on implementation work. The preparation for Japan has been particularly time-intensive, and it has required an amount of operational attention that simply cannot be carried long term by one person.
I have begun taking structured steps to recover and to rebuild healthier boundaries so that my contribution remains responsible and sustainable. At this moment, I cannot yet say what this will mean for me personally after Fukuoka. I also cannot yet confirm whether I will stand for re-election. I want to make that decision in a calmer moment, with the clarity that comes from recovery, and with the best interest of both the Federation and my own health in mind. I am sorry that I cannot give you a definitive answer today, but I prefer honesty over speculation.
Succession, portfolios, and the Board we need
Precisely because a Federation must never depend on one individual, we have been working actively on succession and continuity.
We have refined the portfolio structure and described responsibilities more clearly, so that roles are easier to understand and easier to hand over. We have also been discussing within the Board who can realistically continue and in what capacity, to ensure stability through the transition into the next term.
At the same time, we are defining more clearly which skills and strengths we need in future Board members. We need people who can share responsibility, communicate reliably, and work as a team across cultures and time zones. We need expertise in areas such as membership support, training and CPD, partnerships and external relations, finance and governance, communications, and digital operations. We will also be approaching suitable candidates directly and encouraging them to consider standing. In a healthy organisation, this should be standard practice, and we are treating it as such.
What we need next: a real transition
To move forward, responsibilities must be distributed across more shoulders and roles must remain clear. This is why we have been working on a draft constitution and a more transparent portfolio structure.
Over the longer term, we also need an honest conversation about how key work can be at least partly compensated when it replaces real paid working time.
We will also need additional resources, including partnerships, project funding where possible, new income models through training and content, and potentially an evolved membership structure. First conversations are already underway, but these developments require time, continuity, and people willing to take responsibility.
Looking ahead: why this is worth it
Despite all challenges, I am convinced that the vision is bigger than our current constraints.
I believe in a WFTGA that offers tourist guides worldwide a stronger platform through visibility, standards, and quality. I believe in an international training and CPD ecosystem where we share knowledge and grow together. I believe in practical support for Associations, especially as it becomes harder everywhere to find volunteers. I believe in a Federation whose voice is heard more clearly at international level.
Thank you and an invitation
Thank you to everyone who carried WFTGA forward in 2025 within the Board, among the Area Reps, in working groups, as volunteers, as constructive critics, and as supporters. Without you, much of this would not have been possible.
As we move into 2026, I would like to invite you to take part in what comes next. Contribute where you can, even in small ways. Consider standing for a portfolio, or encouraging someone who would be a strong candidate. And join us in Fukuoka, on site or online, so that we can take the next steps together.
I wish you and your families a peaceful start to the new year, renewed energy after an intense season, and a strong beginning to 2026.
With warm regards,
Sebastian Frankenberger
President of WFTGA