| Quick recap | |
| The meeting focused on various aspects of the organization's operations, including membership renewal, recruitment of new members, and planning for upcoming events. Discussions covered challenges in different regions, the need for clear communication and terminology, and strategies for improving the organization's visibility and effectiveness. The team also addressed leadership development, networking initiatives, and plans for future conferences and webinars to engage current and potential members. | |
| Next steps | |
| • All area representatives to provide two networking session dates and one webinar date for their respective regions by next week. | |
| • Emma to edit the area representatives manual, focusing on clarifying terminology around tour guide/tourist guide/tour director. | |
| • Tsunami and Soinapa to choose a date in May for Team Asia's first networking session. | |
| • Wagih to provide a second date in August for Team Africa's networking session. | |
| • All area representatives to prepare 2-3 discussion questions for their networking sessions. | |
| • Emma to coordinate with Patricia on organizing sessions for the Americas region. | |
| • Ioannis to coordinate dates for Team Europe's networking sessions in July and November. | |
| • All area representatives to review and suggest edits for the 2024 manual in the shared Google Drive document. | |
| • Maricar to create a new WhatsApp group specifically for convention-related discussions. | |
| • All area representatives to create 30-second landscape video clips about their role as area representatives and send them to Maricar. | |
| • Ioannis to contact Viola regarding his workshop idea for the convention. | |
| Summary | |
| Team Progress on 2025 Projects | |
| In the meeting, Maricar discussed the need for team members to move forward with various projects for 2025, including registration for a conference in April. She also mentioned the importance of renewing memberships to address financial issues. Emma and WAGIH confirmed they had read the meeting summary and had no concerns about membership. They agreed to follow up on renewals in their respective regions. | |
| New Members and Associations Discussion | |
| Maricar discussed the need for new members and associations to join the organization. WAGIH mentioned ongoing discussions with Niger about joining and potential future developments. WAGIH also shared challenges with Zambia, where the World Federation was expected to cover costs. Maricar suggested official communication to seek potential sponsorships. Emma expressed frustration with New Zealand's lack of response and concerns about the culture card's effectiveness in the United States. Emma also highlighted the need for WFTGA to be more useful for her area. | |
| Tour Manager and Affiliate Members | |
| Maricar discussed the concept of a tour manager, which is not widely applicable in other cultures. Emma clarified that the term "tour director" was being used. Tsunami shared updates on affiliate members and individual members, including issues with Hong Kong and the Central Zone Tour Guides Association. Maricar emphasized the importance of guides and associations of guides as members. | |
| Southeast Asia Membership Challenges Discussed | |
| The group discusses ongoing challenges with membership and branding within their organization. Emma mentions Sebastian's idea of becoming more service-oriented and open to increase visibility. Maricar acknowledges the need for change but notes that the board is currently focused on an upcoming convention. Soinapa raises issues about membership in Southeast Asia, particularly in Thailand, where there's confusion between "tour guide" and "tourist guide" terminology. Emma shares her experience with successfully using "tour guide" in her association's application to WFTGA, suggesting that the terminology shouldn't be a barrier to membership. The group agrees that this issue has been circling for years and needs to move forward. | |
| Collaborating on Area Reps Manual | |
| Maricar discussed the need for clear language in the area reps manual and asked Emma, Tsunami, and Soinapa to collaborate on this. Emma agreed to edit the manual and highlight her changes. Maricar also mentioned the ongoing issue of different categories of guides and the need for a solution. Emma expressed her support for making WFTGA more open and inclusive. Maricar then moved on to discuss updates on contour cards, noting the ongoing debate between digital and paper cards. Emma suggested that a digital version would be more practical and cost-effective. | |
| Term Limitations for Area Representatives | |
| Maricar discussed the manual for the 2024 term limitations, emphasizing the need for new leaders and a maximum period of 8 consecutive terms for area representatives. Emma suggested that term limits could be challenging for associations, as they often rely on a core group of volunteers. Maricar agreed, noting that they plan to recruit new area representatives, particularly Portuguese and Spanish speakers for the African and Latin American groups. | |
| Area Representative Term Limit Discussion | |
| In the meeting, Maricar discussed the term limit for serving as an area representative, with WAGIH and Emma being recent additions. They reviewed a document written by Alushka, which was originally from Mary Kim Clark, and decided to maintain consistency in the English language used. Emma agreed to work on the document and suggested making the scholarship more open to active guides from other countries. Maricar proposed adding a clause to the Jane Scholarship to ensure winners maintain their status even if the convention is canceled or postponed. WAGIH shared his experience of winning the scholarship but not being able to attend due to visa issues, and Maricar suggested he could type the clause in English for refinement by Emma. | |
| Convention Application and Vision Board | |
| In the meeting, Emma, WAGIH, Maricar, Ioannis, and Soinapa discussed the application of extenuating circumstances, such as Covid, to their convention. They also discussed the possibility of applying for scholarships, particularly for those from eligible countries. Maricar emphasized the importance of reviewing and marking sheets for the 2025 edition. The team also discussed the Vision Board for 2025, which included goals such as strengthening regional collaboration, promoting training and certification, and supporting sustainable tourism. They also discussed the development of a nature guiding module for members. | |
| Wildlife Guiding Training and Federation Expansion | |
| Tsunami discussed plans for a training module on wildlife guiding, combining Philippine and Malaysian modules, and expanding affiliate membership. He proposed inviting tourism-related establishments and schools to join the Federation. Maricar advised him to check with Christina about accepting schools as members. Ioannis shared his dream of expanding the Federation's presence in the Balkan Peninsula, particularly in Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and North Macedonia. He emphasized the importance of promoting tolerance and environmental protection through guided tours. | |
| Setting and Achieving 2023 Goals | |
| In the meeting, Maricar and Ioannis discussed the execution of their goals and wishes for the year. Maricar emphasized the importance of making these goals a reality through virtual work, including networking and webinars. Emma shared her goals, including updating contact lists and encouraging guides to register for the Japan Conference. Maricar then outlined her top three priorities for the year, including empowering the leadership team, launching networking and webinar sessions, and recruiting multilingual area representatives. The team agreed to work towards these goals for the next ten months. | |
| Tourist Guides Networking Initiative Draft | |
| Maricar presents a draft for a new networking initiative among tourist guides, as proposed by Sebastian. The plan involves regular monthly meetings, starting with Team Africa in April, where guides can exchange ideas, discuss best practices, and engage in focused conversations. Emma clarifies that these events will be run independently by the guides without Expo member involvement. Maricar emphasizes that this approach aims to empower the guides, encourage leadership, and facilitate meaningful discussions on specific topics, with the potential to generate recommendations for Expo. | |
| Team Meeting Scheduling and Goals | |
| Maricar discussed the scheduling of team meetings for the months of May, June, July, September, October, and November. Emma and Patricia will handle their respective regions, with Emma also considering Oceania. Ioannis will lead the team in Europe. Maricar emphasized the importance of setting clear goals and topics for each meeting, suggesting a focus on specific issues like ecotourism or illegal guiding. She also mentioned the possibility of providing technical training on breakout rooms. | |
| Regional Webinars and Networking Events | |
| Maricar outlines the plan for regional webinars and networking events, requesting two dates from each team. She emphasizes the importance of these events for engaging current and potential members. The webinars will include a SOAR analysis, while the networking events will be more informal. Maricar suggests potential themes for the events, such as discussing the future of the Federation up to 2030 or the use of AI in tours. She also mentions that one of the goals is to collect 200,000 email addresses from tourist guides, as the representatives will play a significant role in connecting with guides at the upcoming conference in February 2026. | |
| Networking Sessions and Convention Plans | |
| The group discusses plans for networking sessions and a webinar for 2025. Tsunami suggests offering certificates for training hours, but Maricar clarifies that these are informal discussion groups, not formal training. Emma proposes counting attendance as continuing education for local guide associations. The group agrees to keep the format simple and focus on two networking sessions and one webinar for the year. They also discuss the upcoming convention in Japan, with Maricar announcing that registration will open in late April. Wagih raises concerns about visa difficulties for some countries, and the group decides to create a separate WhatsApp group for convention-related discussions. | |
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