The World Federation of Tourist Guide Associations Congress WFTGA2017 is over
The Iranian President spends almost an hour with us at the opening of the congress. This appreciation for our profession is not lost on us during the entire conference. The Secretary-General of the UNWTO also addresses us with a request to act as ambassadors for peace in our countries of origin and to promote understanding by communicating cultures.
Over the next few days, I will be attending workshops on guided tours, nature tours and modern media. I meet colleagues from all over the world, while our delegate, Maren Richter, represents the #BVGD and thus also the #HamburgGuides. A new board and a new president are elected: Arushka from South Africa.
The supporting program includes various sightseeing tours in Tehran, as well as workshops on Persian cuisine and Persian carpets. We listen to lectures on the Silk Road, exchange views in a round table on topics such as regulation, further education, tipping, cooperation and self-confidence, so that points of view from different countries are brought in and we enter into enriching discussions.
Georgia, Thailand and the USA are applying for the next conference in 2019 (biennial cycle). As Georgia has been chosen, we would be delighted to meet all interested tour guides (and possibly accompanying persons) in Tbilisi at the beginning of 2019. Find out more on the website of the world association. Together with the BVGD, we Hamburg Guides will also let you know in good time.
The gala dinner on the last evening includes an auction of various souvenirs, including a thousand-dollar necklace from Australia. The food, as always on this trip, is delicious and the ambience is enhanced by traditional garb from around the world. From the Caucasus to East Asia, from South America to Siberia, guides are on hand to show off their traditional costumes.
How quickly time flies. Thank you to our colleagues at Tehran #TehranTouristGuideAssociation and to all the participants at the #WFTGA2017 World Congress, it’s a pleasure to network with you! Further information can be found on the homepage of the world federation.