Message from WFTGA President: International Tourist Guide Day 21st February 2013
International Tourist Guide Day (ITGD) takes place annually on 21st February, the date of the foundation of WFTGA in 1985.
Today, 90 countries are represented in the World Federation of Tourist Guide Associations and we all celebrate our profession and what we offer to our guests: area specific knowledge and professional interpretation.
Our logo, “Hands Across the World”, greets you from one side and shows the pointing hand that might be interpreted as symbol for the lucky Number Eight in Chinese; it shows the earth encircled by one billion tourists who wish for authenticity and interpretation of trained locals.
Last December, the United Nations World Tourism Organisation celebrated one billion tourists travelling around the world. That “means one billion possibilities and choices”, as General Secretary Mr Talef Rifai from Jordan said. One choice might be taking the tourist guide as the local specialist, the one who represents the atmosphere of her/his area, who best knows about living conditions in this destination and is trained to tell you about it.
We celebrate International Tourist Guide Day all over the world – tourist guides and their guests – learn about the abilities of area specific interpreters.