World federation of tourist guides: level of training of Armenian guides high enough
10.05.2011,
18:27
Level of training of Armenian guides is rather high, said the deputy chairman of World Federation of Tourist Guides (WFTGA) Felicitas Vresnig in the international press-center “Novosti”.
YEREVAN, May 10. /АRКА/. Level of training of Armenian guides is rather high, said the deputy chairman of World Federation of Tourist Guides (WFTGA) Felicitas Vresnig in the international press-center “Novosti”.
From April 30 to May 6 the first regional training courses for guides took place. 11 Armenian and 11 Georgian guides attended the courses. The courses were organized by the Armenian Guild of Guides with the assistance of Yerevan office of German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ) and Georgian program “Initiative of Economic development” (USAID EPI).
“Armenia is developing and the guide must meet modern requirements, be able not only to provide historical and architectural data, but have special skills to report the tourists the things they are interested in and compare the situation with neighbor countries”, said Vresnig.
Head of Tourism and Economic Development of the Armenian Economy Ministry Mekhak Apresyan said that such courses will provide a good basis for conducting regular trainings and transformation of Armenia into the training center of guides.
Today there are three certified guides by WFTGA system of international class who are entitled to conduct training courses for tour guides in the region.
All the graduates of current courses can work as certified tour guides, and if desired, have opportunity to take additional exams and work in Armenia as regional trainers of training guides by WFTGA system.
Currently,there operate 130 certified guides in Armenia. From January 1, 2011, by the Government’s decision to simplify the license field, the guides are no longer required to obtain relevant licenses. However, the government submitted some legislative changes in tourism industry, which suggest a new mechanism for training of guides. --0--
From April 30 to May 6 the first regional training courses for guides took place. 11 Armenian and 11 Georgian guides attended the courses. The courses were organized by the Armenian Guild of Guides with the assistance of Yerevan office of German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ) and Georgian program “Initiative of Economic development” (USAID EPI).
“Armenia is developing and the guide must meet modern requirements, be able not only to provide historical and architectural data, but have special skills to report the tourists the things they are interested in and compare the situation with neighbor countries”, said Vresnig.
Head of Tourism and Economic Development of the Armenian Economy Ministry Mekhak Apresyan said that such courses will provide a good basis for conducting regular trainings and transformation of Armenia into the training center of guides.
Today there are three certified guides by WFTGA system of international class who are entitled to conduct training courses for tour guides in the region.
All the graduates of current courses can work as certified tour guides, and if desired, have opportunity to take additional exams and work in Armenia as regional trainers of training guides by WFTGA system.
Currently,there operate 130 certified guides in Armenia. From January 1, 2011, by the Government’s decision to simplify the license field, the guides are no longer required to obtain relevant licenses. However, the government submitted some legislative changes in tourism industry, which suggest a new mechanism for training of guides. --0--
