Western Japan Social Media Contest – Winner Announcement
❤️ A huge thank you to everyone who participated! With over 500 entries, you beautifully showcased the charm of Western Japan to the world and helped pave the way for the future of our local tourism. Without further ado, we are thrilled to announce the winners of the WFTGA Convention 2026 Social Media Contest! ⭐Grand […]
Closing Message and Looking Ahead to Peru
Dear colleagues, dear friends, These days in Japan have been intense, vibrant and deeply inspiring. We have discussed, learned and laughed. We have stood together in the crowds before the golden pagoda, and we have shared quiet moments of reflection. Perhaps that is the most beautiful image of this Convention. We were on a journey […]
WFTGA Peace Ceremony in Nagasaki Highlights Ethical Responsibility of Tourist Guides Worldwide
1,000 Paper Cranes and Joint Peace Declaration Frame a Powerful Call for Truth, Context and Professional Integrity Nagasaki, Japan – 2026 During the WFTGA Conference 2026 in Japan, tourist guides from across the globe gathered in Nagasaki for a Peace Ceremony that became one of the most meaningful moments of the entire conference. Throughout […]
Western Japan Social Media Contest – Show Your Best Moments & Win Big!
We are delighted to launch the Western Japan Social Media Contest — a special initiative celebrating the culture, landscapes and experiences of Western Japan in connection with the WFTGA Convention 2026 in Fukuoka, Japan. This contest is open to all WFTGA members, regardless of where you are located! 🏆 Grand Prize One winner will […]
Webinar Summary – Helpful Information
Dear Convention Participants, In the blink of an eye, the Convention is just around the corner! We had a wonderful webinar on January 22nd, and we want to thank you for all your kind words of encouragement. You can watch the full webinar recording below (the Japanese lesson and the sneak peak at the Convention […]
Raffle – Please Bring a Small Gift from Your Home Region
Dear WFTGA Convention Participants, One of the most cherished traditions of our WFTGA conventions is the generosity of our participants. Once again, we warmly invite you to take part in this spirit by contributing to our WFTGA Raffle. What we kindly ask you to bring In keeping with the spirit of our sustainable convention, we […]
Online Registration Now Open
We are pleased to announce that online registration for the virtual participation in the WFTGA Convention 2026 in Fukuoka, Japan is now open. Join colleagues from across the globe for a full week of inspiration, professional exchange and cultural discovery — live from Japan and accessible wherever you are. 🗓️ Highlights of the Virtual Programme Monday – Opening & […]
A Statement of Solidarity from the WFTGA
Free Virtual Participation in the WFTGA Convention 2026 In a world marked by uncertainty, conflict and growing economic challenges, the World Federation of Tourist Guide Associations (WFTGA) reaffirms its commitment to solidarity, inclusion and professional support within the global guiding community. Tourist guides play a unique role in society. They foster dialogue, preserve cultural heritage […]
Participant webinar with helpful information – 22 January, 13:00–14:00 CET
Dear Convention Participants, dear colleagues, As we move closer to our Convention 2026 in Fukuoka, we would like to invite you to a practical and informative online briefing designed to help you prepare confidently for your journey to Japan and for your participation in the Convention. Convention 2026 – Helpful Information for Participants 🗓 22 […]
Registration for Workshops and Experiences was startet & Recording of Webinar 3
Hello dear friends A huge thank you to everyone who joined our webinar on Monday! It was wonderful to see so much enthusiasm as we unveiled the latest updates for our upcoming convention. Whether you missed the live session or just want to dive back into the details, we’ve made everything available for you. Explore […]
WFTGA 2026 Convention Programme Finalised – Live Walkthrough & Sign-Up Guide (22 December, 1:30 pm CET)
Dear friends! ❤️ Thank you to everyone who registered for the WFTGA 2026 Convention! We are excited to announce that the Main Convention Programme is now finalized. There are a variety of options of workshops, study tours, and city tours to choose from. To help you navigate your choices, we will hold a detailed walkthrough of […]
Flight Info – Updates and Summary
Dear world-travelers ✈️ We have fantastic news for all attendees who have yet to book their travel to, or within, Japan! Your WFTGA team has been hard at work securing special flight discounts just for you: International Flights: WFTGA’s very own James has successfully negotiated with Lufthansa for exclusive international flight discounts! Domestic Flights (Within Japan): […]
Convention 2026 – Webinar 2 | Workshops, Keynote speeches, alternative Pre- and Post- Programmes
We’d like to extend an invitation to all of you, both registered participants and those still deciding, to join our second webinar on November 20th at 12:00 (noon) CET. During this session, we will share details about the alternative Pre- and Post-Programmes, walk through the day-by-day schedule, provide insights into the keynote speeches, workshops, and […]
Speak Clearly, Lead Confidently: Accent Training for Tourist Guides
A team of volunteers – mainly WFTGA Trainers – came together to provide conversation sessions for our colleagues in Fukuoka, Japan, in preparation for our 2026 Convention. Our ranks were strengthened by Jessica Campbell – an expert on accent improvement. Something for your off-season CPD? Speak Clearly, Lead Confidently: Accent Training for Tourist Guides WFTGA recently […]
Call for Keynote Speakers & Workshop Facilitators
As we prepare for the WFTGA Convention 2026 in Fukuoka, Japan, we are looking for inspiring keynote speakers and experienced workshop leaders to contribute to our diverse and dynamic programme. This is a unique opportunity to share your expertise, inspire fellow guides from around the globe, and help shape the conversations that will define the […]
Alternatives to Pre- & Post-Programme! Update
We’re delighted to share some highly anticipated news! One of the most frequent questions we receive is, “Will there be alternatives to the sold-out Pre- and Post-Programmes?” We can now officially confirm with a resounding “Yes!”
Convention 2026 | Optional Tours
we’re absolutely thrilled that preparations for the WFTGA Convention 2026 are well underway, and we wake up each morning to new registrations from all over the world! ❤️ This incredible demand brings some bittersweet news: The Pre-Programme is indeed sold-out. We are currently working on alternatives and will notify you as soon as plans are […]
Convention 2026 Japan – Register now!
A huge thank you to so many of you who joined us live for the webinar introducing the 2026 Convention! We were truly delighted and overwhelmed to see people from all over the world connecting with us and each other. It really emphasized the reach of our global guiding community,
Newsletter: The Wait Is Over – Registration for WFTGA Convention 2026 Opens Soon!
Dear colleagues and friends, After months of anticipation and careful preparation, the moment we’ve all been waiting for has finally arrived: The registration for the 21st WFTGA Convention 2026 in Fukuoka, Japan is about to open! To celebrate this special occasion, we warmly invite you to join us for a live launch webinar on: Date: […]
Convention 2026 | Newsletter #5
Dear colleagues, dear friends of the WFTGA, We hope our recent newsletter about the WFTGA Convention 2026 in Fukuoka, Japan, has sparked your excitement and anticipation for this very special gathering of our global guiding community. Today, we would like to provide a brief but important update regarding registration. While our initial plan was to […]
Convention 2026 | NEWSLETTER 4
Hello everyone, this is Sam Takashima, Chairman of the Host Committee for the WFTGA 2026 Convention. As we prepare for the Fukuoka Convention scheduled for February 2026, the host organisation, K-iTG, has been holding intensive internal meetings and online discussions with WFTGA over the past months. We have been making every effort to open the […]
Convention 2026 | NEWSLETTER 3
My name is Sam and I am the Chairman of the Fukuoka Host Committee for 21st WFTGA Convention in 2026. We recently hosted President Sebastian and Head of Training Viola from WFTGA for the site inspection visit. We visited many tourist places in Fukuoka and we are satisfied with the progression of the convention planning.
Convention 2026 | NEWSLETTER 2
My name is Miz and I am the President of Team Japan K-iTG. Thank you to the many people who submitted their Intention Surveys. We have received many comments from many people across the globe that they would like to visit Japan. At the WFTGA 2026 Bid held in Sicily, Italy, Japan was selected as […]
Convention 2026 | NEWSLETTER 1
Join us for the first EVER international convention of tourist guides in Japan. We look forward to the opportunity to introduce Fukuoka to the international participants and tourist guides of the WFTGA. Become “Fukuoka ambassadors” while we showcase our local members the “global standard” of guiding. We want to help our members learn about international […]
The WFTGA 21st Tourist Guide Convention 2026 website is now live!
The WFTGA 21st Tourist Guide Convention 2026 website is now live! During the coming weeks and months we will be adding further information. convention.wftga.org Save the date: Main Convention: 9th to 13th February 2026 Pre Programme: 5th to 8th February 2026 Post Programme: 13th to 17th February 2026 Convention 2026 intention survey to attend: […]
Host Committee official Kick-Off
Thanks to the last WFTGA Convention in Siracusa, “Team Japan” for inviting WFTGA 2026 Convention has been smoothly converted into the Host Committee. We had a kick-off session at K-iTG Annual Assembly with 90 attendees of professional guides, travel agencies and local governments on June-8. At the session, we performed “Dontaku” – the local festival […]
WFTGA Convention 2026 – K-iTG, Fukuoka, Japan
The hosts for the 21st WFTGA Convention 2026, as voted by the Delegates at the 2024 General Assembly will be WFTGA Member association K-iTG, Fukuoka, Japan. The announcement was made at the Gala Dinner.
WFTGA CONVENTION – 2026 BIDDING COUNTRIES
In alphabetical order we can confirm the following four 2026 bidding countries and associations will continue through to Italy for the final presentations and Q&A sessions before voting takes place by your Delegates. IRELAND – Approved Tourist Guides of Ireland (ATGI CLG) JAPAN – Kyushu Association of Interpreters, Translators and Guide-Interpreters (K-iTG) MALAYSIA – Sabah Tourist […]