The National Federation of Tourist Guides and Affiliates (NFTGA) is offering members support during the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We have to speak with one voice,” Chairperson of the NFTGA, Zania Collin, urged the tourism industry at the Department of Tourism’s celebrations for International Tourist Guides Day.
“It is a crisis,” said Collin of the COVID-19 pandemic. “Tourism is going to stop for a while.” She added that the industry needed to work together to stay in business.
According to a statement from the organisation, due to the impact of COVID-19 many guides will have constrained financial resources and free time on their hands as the tourism industry grinds to a halt.
In light of this, the NFTGA will delay the implementation of membership fees and its endorsed training, and short course partners will offer discounted courses for registered members of the NFTGA.
The NFTGA is a non-profit organisation established to represent registered tourist guides. It differs from other tourist guide organisations in that it calls for the participation of affiliated players in the tourism industry. This presents a united voice and strengthens the industry.
The objectives of the NFTGA include promoting professionalism in the guide sector, supporting and contributing to transformation, growing job opportunities, encouraging the youth to become guides and preparing them to access job opportunities through mentorship, upliftment and transformation programmes.
