Guidelines Internetion@l
WFTGA Newsletter
March/April 2017
[email protected]
www.wftga.org
Our WFTGA Guidelines Internetion@l (GI) has been in abeyance for a while. Following our last General Assembly
meeting of Delegates, the new Executive Board (EXBO) have decided to re-instate this newsletter for our members.
This March/April 2017 edition is only an 'interim' production, mainly aimed at sharing our International Tourist
Guide Day (ITGD) activities. We are aiming to produce a fuller GI as we did before, at least 3 times per year. If you
would like to contribute please contact The Editor no later than 01 st June 2017 at [email protected]
LETTER FROM THE WFTGA PRESIDENT, ALUSHCA RITCHIE
Dear Members of the WFTGA
During a successful WFTGA International Convention in January 2017 in Tehran, I was elected as the new President
of our Federation, the first from the Southern Hemisphere. As a professional Tourist Guide from Cape Town, South
Africa, and having served on the WFTGA Executive Board (EXBO) since 2015, I look forward to a productive and
positive two years with fellow Tourist Guides on the EXBO from the USA, Australia, Canada, Iran and the UK – we
truly are spread across the world!
WFTGA EXBO 2017-2019: from right to left: Alushca Ritchie (South Africa), Esther Banike (USA), Mohsen Hajisaeid (Iran), Steve McAuley
(Australia), Ruby Roy (Canada), and Mary Kemp Clarke (Scotland UK)
The 2017 Convention was attended by approximately 350 participants representing 40 countries. At the General
Assembly there were 41 delegates present representing 25 member countries plus 9 member countries
represented by proxy nominees. For voting purposes at the General Assembly Business Meetings of Delegates, we
had a total of 34 votes, a very healthy number indeed. The General Assembly of Delegates took a full day with an
additional couple of sessions during the Convention in order to meet and fulfil the WFTGAs constitutional
requirements.
Secretary-General of the UN’s World Tourism Organisation, Mr Taleb Rifai officiated at the opening ceremony, with
significant contributions in person from the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Hassan Rouhani, and the Vice-
President and Head of Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organisation, Ms Zahra Ahmadipour.
Our hosts were the Iran Federation of Tourist Guide Associations (IFTGA) led by Mr Arash Nooraghayee, IFTGA Vice
President, Mr Mohsen Hajisaeid, and International Relations organiser Ms Atefe Dehgan; together with a wonderful
team of hundreds of Tourist Guides from all local associations belonging to IFTGA. Their assistance, hospitality,
friendship, kindness, politeness, professionalism, and collegiality were a true inspiration to all of us who attended.
During the Convention we had excellent lectures, talks, workshops and a round table session all facilitated and
presented by experienced colleagues. Further to this tours to sites in Tehran were also included.
The WFTGA Training Division held its main biennial meeting during this time and a new Training committee and
head were appointed. We thank all our WFTGA Trainers for their commitment and professionalism ensuring the
continuous growth of this division.
As an EXBO we are very excited to see this many activities that have taken place to celebrate International Tourist
Guides Day across the world and we thank you for your participation and wish you happy reading.
Alushca, 2017 – 2019 WFTGA President: [email protected]
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