International Tourist Guide Day - February 21st

Today is the International Tourist Guide Day! You can send in pictures and a short description of what you did to mark this occasion. OurExplorer would love to publicize them and show the world what wonderful things tourist guides are doing!

South Africa Tourism Authority is offering an event under the theme “Culture as a unifying guide”. “Media is invited to experience Pretoria as a tourist destination under the guidance of a deaf tourist guide on 21 February 2011”. View Event Details

Zagreb Tourist Guide Association offers “free city tours in Croatian on Saturday 19 February. Tours start at 11 am and 12 in front of the Tourist Information Center”. View Tour Details

The Advisory Committee of the Tourist Guides in KSA have organized various activities including “training courses, workshops, information on tourism, and free tourism trips to a number of tourism and historical sites”. View More Info

What is International Tourist Guide Day?
According to World Federation of Tourist Guide Associations (WFTGA.org) – “February 21st. an initiative of WFTGA, the International Tourist Guide Day is held on 21st February each year. In 1990, Mrs. Titina Loizides, president of the WFTGA was involved when it was held for the first time, 15 countries participated. Since then, tourist guides in an ever growing number of countries have been giving help to their local communities, conducting tours for disabled persons, disadvantaged persons, for children, industry partners, officials and the general public. Events are also held for local tourist guides including presentations and retraining courses. It is a public relations event par excellence, drawing the attention of local authorities, fellow citizens and the media to the quality and value of the work of professional tourist guides. Each member country contributes to the success of the day in its own way; coach companies have contributed complimentary coaches, attractions and museums have opened their doors without charge. Each year, awareness grows and there is an increasing contribution by both regional and national governments to the International Tourist Guide Day. The Day is coordinated by the World Federation.”