1987
Welcome to WFTGA
The home of Global Tourist Guide Associations
The WFTGA’s main purpose is to promote, market and ensure that tourist guides are recognised as the ambassadors of a region. They are the first and sometimes the only representation of the population a visitor will meet. WFTGA offers services to our members but also communicates to those in search of the services of professional area specific tourist guides and where to hire them. We also actively promote our members’ associations and industry partners worldwide.
WFTGA came into being as a result of proposals put forward at the first International Convention of Tourist Guides, in February 1985. The Federation was officially registered as a non-profit organisation under Austrian law after a second Convention held in Vienna in 1987. At each international convention the WFTGA grew and today the organization has members from more than 70 countries, representing well over 200,000 individual tourist guides, WFTGA has established an international network of professional tourist guides and today is the only global forum for tourist guides and continues to grow with the changes of this industry.
WFTGA encourages and supports the use of only area-specific tourist guides to member regions which keeps the local tourist guides working and ensures that visitors have accurate and professional services from our members’ regions.
professional tourist guides
Our Aims
The World Federation of Tourist Guide Associations is dedicated and committed to
establishing
establishing contact tourist guide associations, individual tourist guides, training institutes and tourism bodies throughout the world, reinforcing professional ties.
representing
Representing professional, qualified tourist guides while promoting the profession.
enhancing
enhancing the image of the profession and promoting the use of area specific local tourist guides in all regions
promoting
promoting a universal code of ethics and skills
years
member associations
tourist guides
Our Goal is to support tourist guides worldwide
Definition
What is a professional tourist guide?
EN 13809 2003/ ENISO 18513 2003
Adopted by World Federation of Tourist Guide Associations at the 10th Convention in Dunblane 2003.
A person who guides visitors in the language of their choice and interprets the cultural and natural heritage of an area which person normally possesses an area-specific qualification usually issued and/or recognised by the appropriate authority.
This is distinct from a tour manager defined by CEN as follows:
A Person who manages an itinerary on behalf of the tour operator ensuring the programme is carried out as described in the tour operator’s literature and sold to the traveller/consumer and who gives local practical information.
Note:
Tour managers may or may not be tourist guides as well. They are not trained or licensed to work in specific areas unless they have the proper requirements or legal right, depending on the region.
Networkers
Global Brand Ambassador
The WFTGA President selects a Global Brand Ambassador at their discretion. This position is allocated to persons who have demonstrated an unwavering dedication to the WFTGA institution over a number of years and continues to work as a member of the team in promoting the brand WFTGA. They are individuals who speak to the ethos and integrity of the WFTGA continuously giving their support and dedication. We thank them for their continuous contributions.
Esther Banike
United States, Chicago
Walid El Batouty
Egypt, Cairo
Maricar Donato
United States, Washington
Assurance of a high level of professionalism
The Code of Guiding Practice
Adherence to the WFTGA Code of Guiding Practice provides an assurance of the high level of professionalism and a value-added service offered by the individual guides to their clients.
Tourist Guide Associations which belong to the World Federation of Tourist Guide Associations accept on behalf of their members WFTGA’s principles and aims:
- To 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.
- To 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.
- To 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.
- To 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.
- As 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.
WFTGA has also signed up to the UNWTO Global Code of Ethics
