Bar, Montenegro
20-23 March 2027
Leading the Way: Minimum Standards in Training, Maximum Excellence in Tourist Guiding
Four days on the Adriatic coast with fellow trainers from around the world. Share what works in your classroom, help define the minimum standard for tourist guide training, and take home fresh tools for your very next course.
35 trainers by 10 November, and the conference happens
The number of pre-registrations decides whether the conference takes place. If fewer than 35 WFTGA Trainers pre-register by 10 November 2026, it will be cancelled. Once we reach 35, our hosts in Montenegro cover more than half of the cost.
Pre-registration closes on 10 November 2026
Where you will learn, guide and meet
Getting there
Fly to one of two airports. Transfers to and from your hotel in Bar are included in the fee.
Photos: Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons · Кокан, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons · Miomir Magdevski, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons · Avi1111 dr. avishai teicher, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons · Raymond Zoller from Bar, Montenegro, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Why you should be in Bar
For years, WFTGA Trainers have asked the same question in our fora: why does tourist guide training look so different from one country to the next? In Montenegro, we finally sit down together and answer it.
- Have your say on the standardHelp define what every tourist guide should learn, and put it in front of tourism ministries and national tourism organisations on the plenary day.
- Learn by doing, not by listeningEight hands-on workshops led by fellow trainers. No lecture marathons, just methods you can use in your next course.
- Train where history happensThe ruins of Stari Bar, an olive tree more than 2,500 years old, Lake Skadar National Park: our study tours are open-air classrooms.
- Meet your global trainer familyColleagues from every continent, shared dinners and friendships that last well beyond March.
- Exceptional value510 EUR covers your hotel, meals, airport transfers and study tours, thanks to our sponsors in Montenegro.
More ways to take part
Lead a workshop
Have a method that works? Tick "propose a workshop" in the form and the Training Committee will be in touch.
Grow your trainer career
Combine the conference with the Train the Trainer, International Train the Trainer or HOT course right before it.
Come back to the Division
Not active as a trainer for a while? This is the perfect moment to reconnect with your colleagues.
Programme at a glance
Speakers and workshop titles will be announced soon. Organisers reserve the right to make changes.
Pre-conference courses
Train the Trainer (TtT) and International Train the Trainer (ITtT), 7-20 March. Hands On Tourist Guiding (HOT), 14-20 March.
Separate registrationMark your interest in the formArrival and welcome
Airport transfers from Podgorica and Tivat, registration and accreditation in the afternoon, welcome dinner in the evening.
Welcome dinnerPlenary day
Opening with invited representatives of tourism ministries and national tourism organisations. Sessions on WFTGA training methods, tourist guide education and licensing in the EU and the Balkans, and the role of the tourist guide in destination branding.
In personLivestreamWorkshop day
Eight practical workshops in two parallel rooms, led by WFTGA Trainers.
8 workshopsStudy tours and Training Division meeting
Small groups explore the town of Bar, Stari Bar, the Mirovica olive grove with an olive tree over 2,500 years old, or Lake Skadar National Park. Training Division meeting in the afternoon, farewell dinner in Stari Bar to close the conference.
4 study toursFarewell dinnerDeparture or post-conference tour
Fly home after the conference, or stay on for the optional 4-day post-conference tour of Montenegro, 580 EUR per person.
Fees and payment
- Conference participationPlenary day, workshops and study tours with transport
- AccommodationDouble room for single use, tourism tax included
- Airport transfersFrom and to Podgorica or Tivat airport
- MealsLunches, coffee breaks, welcome dinner and farewell dinner
How it works
Fill in the online form by 10 November 2026. No payment yet.
The sponsorship in Montenegro is confirmed and the conference goes ahead.
You receive an invoice for 510 EUR with the payment details.
Frequently asked questions
Is the pre-registration binding?
It is your commitment to take part if the conference goes ahead. You pay only after at least 35 trainers have pre-registered and you have received your invoice.
What happens if fewer than 35 trainers pre-register?
The sponsorship in Montenegro depends on this minimum. If it is not reached, the conference will be cancelled and no invoice will be issued.
I have not paid my WFTGA Trainer Fee recently. Can I still come?
Yes. Please state the last year you paid in the form. The Training Committee will contact you about bringing your trainer status up to date.
Can I bring an accompanying person or stay longer?
Yes. Please contact the local organiser directly at info@balkansluxuryconcierge.hr for prices.
Which airports can I fly to?
Podgorica (TGD) or Tivat (TIV). Airport transfers from and to both airports are included in the fee. Please send your flight details once you have your invoice.
Can I join the Train the Trainer or HOT course before the conference?
Yes, these courses run from 7 March (TtT, ITtT) and 14 March (HOT) and need a separate registration. Tick your interest in the form or write to training@wftga.org.
Do I need a visa for Montenegro?
Many nationalities can enter Montenegro without a visa for short stays. Please check the rules for your passport in good time; the organisers can provide an invitation letter if needed.
For participants
Once the conference is confirmed, registered participants will find all documents, travel information, session links and the list of participants here.
Until then, please spread the word among your fellow trainers. Every pre-registration counts.
Pre-register now
It takes about three minutes. Deadline: 10 November 2026. You pay only once the conference is confirmed.
Sabah 2025 showed what happens when trainers meet
In February 2025, WFTGA Trainers gathered in Kota Kinabalu for our first Trainer Convention: keynotes on sustainable training, workshops from storytelling to virtual teaching, and a study tour to Kinabalu Park. Bar 2027 builds on that spirit, with an even stronger focus on hands-on work.
Relive Sabah 2025
Know a trainer who should be there?
Forward this page to your fellow trainers and your association. Every pre-registration brings us closer to 35.