The meeting began with personal updates and historical discussions before transitioning to address challenges in the tourism industry and financial matters, including proposed changes to membership fees and revenue streams. The team reviewed various membership and training initiatives, discussing applications, pending payments, and upcoming events in different regions while emphasizing the need for better affiliate member engagement and website updates. The group concluded by addressing convention planning details, including host country arrangements and security measures, while also discussing social media strategy and new initiatives like a photography award program.

The group discussed personal updates and travel plans, including James and Naomi's upcoming trip to Kyoto and potential extension to Seoul. Viola shared that Tony's recovery from a leg injury is progressing, moving from two to one crutch. The meeting officially began with Sebastian welcoming everyone and noting the absence of several members including Ivana who might join later. The conversation briefly touched on historical topics like the Union of the Crowns and Scottish colonization efforts before transitioning to the main meeting agenda.

The meeting participants discussed their recent activities and challenges in the tourism industry. Viola and James shared their experiences with guiding tours and travel, while Cristina talked about her busy schedule and the need to promote the profession. Sebastian mentioned his research for upcoming museum tours and the challenges of managing a large number of emails. The group also discussed financial matters, including bank account changes and issues with Stripe and PayPal. They addressed the problem of finding emails from the president@wftga.org address and concluded that they could not verify a potential UN tourism discount due to lack of records.

The meeting focused on financial challenges and potential solutions for the organization. Sebastian highlighted that current membership fees are insufficient to cover costs, with the organization running on minimal funds of €2,500. He proposed a new fee structure with multiple tiers based on GDP and population, suggesting that associations in higher tiers pay more per member. James and others discussed simplifying the structure and considering additional revenue sources, such as plastic cards for trainers. The group agreed to review membership numbers and explore ways to increase income, including a potential campaign for the culture card. They also acknowledged the need to be transparent about rising costs and limited funding at the upcoming General Assembly.

The team discussed several pending items from previous meetings, including the need to schedule a meeting with affiliate members and develop a strategy for their benefits and criteria. They reviewed the current status of affiliate members, noting that only 3-4 remain active on their website. Sebastian emphasized the importance of treating affiliate members better and suggested creating a special portfolio to handle their needs. The team also discussed the need to update website copy, including a statement about ritual regulation, and Sebastian shared his experience with media coverage and Wikipedia entry efforts.

The group discussed potential host countries for the Trainer Convention, with Geneva showing strong interest and having a high budget, though Viola suggested starting with a smaller international training course. Sebastian reported that American associations, including Philadelphia, were interested in bidding but faced challenges with understanding the new bidding process, particularly regarding Trump's presidency and visa issues. The group agreed that Ethiopia could be a good candidate for hosting, with Andy potentially serving as a great host and MC, while Sebastian emphasized the need for professional convention organizers rather than relying on volunteers in the future.

The team discussed several key convention planning items. Sebastian expressed concerns about the Japanese hosts' lack of understanding of tour guide needs and their slow progress on training arrangements, while Viola reported that training sessions have started with mixed success. The group agreed to be more assertive with the Japanese hosts regarding budget decisions and speaker arrangements, with Viola noting they have 1022 workshop applicants but still need to finalize keynote speakers. The team also discussed the need to promote domestic Japanese participation, as currently none of the 421 registered participants are from Japan.

The team discussed issues with several members who haven't paid their fees, particularly focusing on Khalid who is both a trainer and area representative but hasn't paid his dues since March. They decided to send Khalid an email before addressing the matter in the next area representative meeting, while also noting that Emma is the only non-paying member who has been communicating about payment issues. The team also discussed onboarding the Mongolian Professional Tourist Guide Association, which submitted their application in April, though their membership is pending due to terminology differences between "tour guides" and "tourist guides." For new applications received in September and October, they agreed to issue 2026 membership invoices with payment due in November, while also planning to follow up with Titina regarding potential political discussions about Northern Cyprus membership.

The group discussed several membership applications and associations. Cristina raised concerns about an application from Italian guides in Belgium, noting there was no formal guide association in the country. Viola provided background on a guide who applied for a trainer course but had to withdraw. The group decided to proceed with onboarding the Belgian guides, pending formal documentation. They also discussed an application from William Davo, who made a payment but never submitted required documents. James inquired about Buenos Aires, which Cristina confirmed was still under review. Sebastian explained the situation with the European Tour Manager Association seeking affiliate membership, noting their association is struggling and wants to connect with WFTGA.

The team discussed several training initiatives and events. Viola reported on the Philippines event scheduled for September 17th, which both she and Cristina cannot attend due to work commitments, leading Sebastian to suggest using Marika as a potential speaker. Viola provided an extensive update on training activities, including CPD sessions, a course in Curacao, and upcoming events in Cyprus, noting that funding has increased to €10,000 with €7,000 from the ministry of tourism and €3,000 from Leventus. The team also addressed payment recording procedures for the Wise account, clarifying that Sonya has access to notifications but Inaki is responsible for recording payments in Invoicely.

The team discussed several key initiatives including social media strategy and a new photography award program. They agreed to stop social media operations if fee increases aren't approved at the Virtual General Assembly, with the contract ending at year-end rather than October. Sebastian proposed a photography award where guides can submit pictures of their work, with winners receiving training and the association gaining rights to use the photos in stock images. James reported having legally approved waivers ready for various activities. The group also discussed World Tourism Day, with James expressing concern about the event being overshadowed by other organizations' themes, while Sebastian shared the German Association's successful approach of having member associations vote on themes and organizing large-scale events.

The team discussed preparations for an upcoming convention in Japan, including arrival dates for expo members and participants. They agreed that expo members should arrive on February 5th in the evening, with official pre-tour activities starting on February 6th. Sebastian emphasized the need for increased presence and control during the convention, and the group discussed website security issues and potential scams related to visa requests. They also touched on the need for Japanese letters to facilitate immigration for attendees and the importance of updating the website and preparing for a virtual general assembly.