THURSDAY, 16 FEBRUARY
2006: On 21st February 2005 South Africa
will join the rest of the world in celebrating
the 16-year old International Tourist Guides
Day. In 1989, during the Third International
Convention of the World Federation of Tourist
Guide Association, members of the association
pondered at ideas to promote awareness about
professional tourists guides amongst the
public. The result was the celebration of
the first International Tourist Guide Day
that was held in 11000 with 15 countries
participating.The Department of Environmental
Affairs and Tourism will be celebrating
the Day in the Western Cape as a national
event under the theme “Fighting Against
Illegal Tourist Guiding” “Have you asked
for the Badge & ID Card registration
proof from your Tourist Guide?” This theme
is part of the national plan to combat illegal
guiding, which will be launched on the day.
“This day is of importance to the tourist
guiding fraternity and we believe that it
should be used to lift the profile of tourist
guiding in the country as an honest profession
as well as an important link in the tourism
value chain” said Mr Lulamile Stuurman,
Acting National Registrar of Tourist Guides.
Activities to celebrate the day are to
include visits to popular tourist attractions
in Cape Town by the National and Provincial
Registrar together with the Western Cape
Provincial MEC for Economic Development
& Tourism where they will inspect whether
Tourist Guides are carrying their ID Cards
and Badges as required by the Law. Furthermore,
there will be an exhibition stand in the
city centre manned by Tourist Guides, giving
information on Tourist Guiding as a professional
career.
“Other than the travel operator and the
Internet, the real contact that the tourist
has with South Africa is through a tour
guide. In fact most letters that DEAT receives
from tourists who share their experiences
in the country, sing praises about the knowledge
and professionalism of tour guides more
than the operators who packaged their tours!
Tour guides are indeed our ambassadors,
as we all know that tourism thrives on person-to-person
encounters,” commented Dr Patrick Matlou,
Deputy Director-General for Tourism.
