Individual membership for professional tourist guides
No WFTGA member association in your country? As an Individual Member you join the worldwide network of professional tourist guides, until a local association is established or joins the Federation.
Our Individual Members
Professional tourist guides who are members of WFTGA in their own right.
A bridge to the global network
Individual Membership is designed for professional tourist guides in countries where no tourist guide association exists, or where the existing association is not a member of WFTGA. Under the current Constitution it is a temporary membership, until a local association is established or joins the Federation.
We strongly encourage Individual Members to form an association or to motivate existing associations in their country to join WFTGA: the profession is best served when tourist guides are organised, represented and empowered collectively.
Why this system is changing
In many regions associations have dissolved, are inactive, pursue different agendas or do not represent the profession in line with WFTGA’s mission and standards. At the same time, thousands of dedicated tourist guides seek recognition, support and access to a global professional network.
The Executive Board is therefore revising the Constitution to give all professional tourist guides worldwide direct access to WFTGA, independent of national association structures, with a minimum standard of guiding skills or qualifications to ensure professional integrity.
Until this reform enters into force, the current Individual Membership rules apply.
Your benefits today
Access to the global guiding community and a broad range of support, resources and networking opportunities.
Community and connection
- Listing as an Individual Member on the WFTGA website
- A worldwide network of professional tourist guides
- WFTGA online events, webinars, CMD sessions and networking forums
- Exchange with peers in Global Networking Groups, by region and theme
Communication and inclusion
- Monthly WFTGA newsletter with updates, opportunities and global insights
- Use of the WFTGA Individual Member logo
- A sense of belonging to the international guiding family
Practical benefits
- The Cultour Card, with free or discounted entry to museums and heritage sites
- Discounts on WFTGA Conventions and training programmes
- Please note: Individual Members do not have voting rights, which are reserved for Full Member associations.
Planned benefits
WFTGA is developing a modern, future-proof membership structure with new tools and digital infrastructure.
Visibility and booking
- A personal profile platform for tourist guides
- “Book a Guide” functionality to connect guides with clients and partners
- API integration with major tourism and tourism-tech platforms
Tour and business tools
- Tour management features
- Optional accounting and reporting tools
- Recommended or partnered software solutions
Training and skills
- Discounted WFTGA courses, Train-the-Trainer programmes and CMD units
- Verified professional status based on guiding qualifications
More opportunities
- Job fairs and opportunities through WFTGA portal partners
- Resource libraries, templates, standards and policies
The aim: direct, fair and global access to WFTGA for every professional tourist guide, regardless of local association politics or structures. Curious what sets a WFTGA tourist guide apart? Read Tourist guide vs tour guide.
Membership fees
Your yearly fee depends on the tier of your country.
We know the Individual Membership fee may look high compared with what guides usually contribute through their national association. When a guide belongs to a WFTGA Full Member association, their share of the WFTGA fee is usually only a few euros a year, because the association pays a consolidated fee for all its members.
We are a federation of associations.
Our structure is designed to strengthen national associations, support organised representation and keep the profession sustainable worldwide. Individual Membership offers a direct pathway where association structures are missing, inactive or unable to join WFTGA.
We have intentionally kept the Tier 5 fee very low, so that tourist guides from low-income countries, especially where no associations exist or the profession lacks formal structures, have a fair and accessible way to join WFTGA.
Annual adjustment
All membership fees are adjusted automatically each year in line with the global inflation rate published in the IMF World Economic Outlook (WEO).
- Adjustment = global inflation rate of the previous year
- Rounded up to the next 10 currency units
- Applied automatically on 1 August each year
- Relevant for the new fiscal year beginning 1 November
| Tier | GDP (PPP) per capita | Yearly fee |
|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 | GDP (PPP) per capita above USD 60,000 | €250 |
| Tier 2 | USD 50,000 to 60,000 | €200 |
| Tier 3 | USD 30,000 to 50,000 | €150 |
| Tier 4 | USD 10,000 to 30,000 | €100 |
| Tier 5 | USD 10,000 or less | €15 |
Tiers are based on the latest IMF and OSCE GDP (PPP) figures of each country, as published in October 2025.
Tier 1: which countries?
Andorra, Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, Brunei, Canada, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Guyana, Hong Kong, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Macau, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Qatar, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Korea, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, UAE, UK, USA
Tier 2: which countries?
Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Israel, Japan, Kuwait, Lithuania, New Zealand, Poland, Puerto Rico, Slovenia, Spain
Tier 3: which countries?
Antigua & Barbuda, Argentina, Aruba, Bahamas, Belarus, Chile, Costa Rica, Curaçao, Dominican Republic, Estonia, Georgia, Greece, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritius, Montenegro, Oman, Panama, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Saint Kitts & Nevis, Serbia, Seychelles, Slovakia, Trinidad & Tobago, Türkiye, Uruguay
Tier 4: which countries?
Albania, Algeria, Angola, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Cape Verde, China, Colombia, Dominica, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eswatini (Swaziland), Fiji, Gabon, Grenada, Guatemala, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jamaica, Jordan, Kosovo, Laos, Libya, Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco, Namibia, Nauru, North Macedonia, Palau, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent & Grenadines, South Africa, Suriname, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Vietnam
Tier 5: which countries?
Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo, Djibouti, DR Congo, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Honduras, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Kiribati, Kyrgyzstan, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Micronesia, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Palestine, Papua New Guinea, Rwanda, Samoa, Sao Tome & Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tonga, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Frequently asked questions
Who can become an Individual Member of WFTGA?
Professional tourist guides in countries without a tourist guide association, or where an association exists but is not a WFTGA Full Member.
Is Individual Membership permanent?
No. Under the current Constitution it is a temporary solution until a national association is formed, or an existing association decides to join WFTGA.
Why is this system being reviewed?
Because in many parts of the world associations have dissolved or are inactive, associations pursue interests not aligned with the guiding profession, or individual guides lack national representation. We therefore plan to introduce a modern, direct membership model.
Will all tourist guides be able to join directly in the future?
Yes. With the constitutional reform, all professional tourist guides will be able to join WFTGA directly, with a minimum guiding skill standard for quality assurance.
What benefits do Individual Members receive today?
- Monthly WFTGA newsletter
- Invitations to all WFTGA online events, CMD sessions and networking activities
- Listing on the WFTGA website
- Access to the global community of tourist guides
- Use of the Individual Member logo
- Global networking and exchange groups (by continent)
- Discounts on WFTGA Conventions
- The Cultour Card with museum and heritage discounts
Do Individual Members have voting rights?
No. Voting rights are reserved for Full Member associations.
What new benefits are planned?
- A professional guide profile platform
- Direct booking (“Book a Guide”)
- Tour management tools
- Possible accounting and admin tools
- Preferential access to job fairs and partner platforms
- API connections to tourism platforms
- Discounts on training and events
- Expanded WFTGA Training and CMD modules
What is required for membership?
Proof that you are an active professional tourist guide, and confirmation that no WFTGA Full Member association is available in your country.
How long does the approval take?
Applications are reviewed and approved within 30 days.
Apply for Individual Membership
Individual Membership is currently open to professional tourist guides living in countries where no tourist guide association exists, or where an association exists but is not a Full Member of WFTGA.
Your registration documents, confirmation of your official tourist guide status and some general information.
The Board checks eligibility according to the WFTGA Constitution and Membership Regulations.
Applications are approved or declined within 30 days of submission.
After approval and payment of the fee, you have immediate access to all member services, visibility and support.
Questions before you apply?
Write to the membership team. Our Secretary Marián Bilačič looks after members and Area Representatives.