Professional training for tourist guides, by tourist guides
For 30 years WFTGA has designed and delivered courses for tourist guides and for the trainers of tourist guides, at the request of UN Tourism, UNESCO, ministries of tourism and our member associations.
2nd WFTGA Trainer Conference in Bar, Montenegro
18 to 22 March 2027. WFTGA Trainers from every continent meet in Bar for practical workshops, study tours in the ruins of Stari Bar and at Lake Skadar, and exchange with colleagues. You can combine the conference with a Train the Trainer, International Train the Trainer or HOT course right before it.
The conference goes ahead only if at least 35 WFTGA Trainers pre-register by 10 November 2026, so please register early.
Training that is practical, on site and in person
WFTGA adopted the content of the CEN Standard EN 15565:2008 “Tourism Services: Requirements for the provision of professional tourist guide training and qualification programmes” as the required minimum standard for the accreditation of tourist guide training programmes worldwide. EN 15565 also underpins the Hands-On Tourist Guide Training, which requires a two-day Communication Seminar and practical training and assessment on site, on a walk and on a moving vehicle.
Short courses on guiding skills, heritage interpretation, communication and presentation, and guide trainer courses are facilitated by our National, International and Lead International Trainers. All WFTGA Trainers are qualified and experienced tourist guides, which makes WFTGA the only global organisation offering professional training for tourist guides by tourist guides.
Our courses
In-house, in our training centres or online. Choose the course that fits your stage as a guide or trainer.
Hands-On Tourist Guide Training (HOT)
Practical guiding skills for new guides and a refresher for experienced ones.
Train the Trainer (TtT)
For active tourist guides who want to train tourist guides in their own area.
International Train the Trainer (ITtT)
Progression for National Trainers who want to train tourist guides worldwide.
Site Guide Training (SGT)
For guides at one site: museum, national park, archaeological or UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Specialist Guiding Courses
Compiled and developed on request, for example cruise guiding endorsement.
Continuous Professional Development (CPD)
Live online sessions of around one hour, by guides for guides.
We bring the training to you
WFTGA can send trainers to you for bespoke in-house courses anywhere in the world. Individual guides may also apply for courses at our International Training Centre (ITC) in Cyprus. We encourage members and partners to host in-person courses in their location: find out more about hosting a WFTGA training course (PDF).
- Skills training for tourist guides
- Train the Trainer
- Training continuity and evaluations
- Support through the Training Division
We can help you with your courses
Course accreditation
WFTGA accredits tourist guide training courses in accordance with EN 15565:2008 “Tourism Services: Requirements for the provision of professional tourist guide training and qualification programmes”. We have accredited tourist guide training courses for Cyprus, Scotland and the Oman Tourism College.
Consulting
- Tourist guide training programmes: design and implementation, national, regional and site-specific
- Refresher courses for tourist guides: design and implementation, national and regional
- Continuous Professional Development programmes
- Advice on tourist guide licensing and quality control
Courses on every continent
The WFTGA Training Division has run successful courses in Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Brunei, the Caribbean, Curacao, Cyprus, Ethiopia, Georgia, Greece, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Moldova, Mongolia, Oman, Papua New Guinea, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, St. Eustatius (Dutch Antilles), Serbia, Singapore, Tanzania, Turkmenistan and the United Arab Emirates.
International Training Centre
The WFTGA International Training Centre (ITC) in Cyprus regularly offers courses that are open to individual tourist guides from all over the world. There are no courses at the Cyprus ITC in 2026.
Instead, Train the Trainer and International Train the Trainer courses are planned around the 2nd WFTGA Trainer Conference in Bar, Montenegro (18 to 22 March 2027).
Silk Road Heritage Training
Encouraged by renewed interest in the Silk Road for cultural exchange, trade and tourism, UN Tourism (then UNWTO) decided to revive the ancient routes as a tourism concept, uniting three continents in a project encompassing over 12,000 km. WFTGA trains Silk Road Heritage Guides as part of this initiative.
Smaro TouloupaHead of TrainingGreece
Sebastian FrankenbergerEx officio memberAustria
Dimitria PapadopoulouTrainer Representative 2025 to 2027Greece
Kapi PanouExperienced TrainerLIT, Greece
Emma Guest-ConsalesNon-Trainer MemberUSA
Viola LewisFormer Head of TrainingUK
Ivana ĆuruvijaArbitratorSerbia
Helga SturzeneggerArea Rep LiaisonFrance
Hussein DehghanArea Rep LiaisonIranDiscover more about WFTGA training
Qualification
How to become a tourist guide, and the standards behind it.
Our trainers
Lead International, International and National Trainers worldwide.
Art of Guiding e-book
A practical manual for trainers, trainees and guides.
Trainer Conference 2027
Bar, Montenegro, 18 to 22 March 2027.
Get an offer for your in-house training
Tell us about your guides, your destination and your goals. Our Training Division will get back to you.