Sharjah Commerce And Tourism Development Authority To Enhance Its Tourist Guide Licensing Programme

In line with the great success of the recently launched Sharjah Tourist Guide Training and Licensing Programme, the Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA) is continuously striving to enhance the standards of tourist guide training in the emirate of Sharjah and to strengthen its ties with tourist guide associations around the world.

Two employees of the SCTDA were thus recently chosen to participate in the international programme ’Train the Trainer’, which is run by the World Federation of Tourist Guide Associations (WFTGA), the leading global forum for tourist guides. WFTGA, a not-for-profit, non-political organisation in operational relations with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), represents tourist guides internationally and promotes a universal code of ethics and skills by developing international training and establishing the highest standards of professionalism.

One of those selected to participate in the training was Majid A. Al Qassimi, one of the SCTDA’s UAE national employees. Al Qassimi will, over the coming months, be responsible for overseeing the Sharjah Tourist Guide Training and Licensing Programme. This is a unique initiative as the programme will now take place under the direct supervision of a WFTGA-accredited Emirati trainer.

Mohamed A. Al Noman, SCTDA Director General said: "We are aware of the critical role played by tourist guides in the tourism promotion process, and that is why we are committed to providing Sharjah’s guides with the best possible training format through our Tourist Guide Training and Licensing Programme as well as our qualified WFTGA-accredited trainers." "At the same time, the SCTDA is always looking to promote the goals of Emiratisation as laid out by the UAE government, and to advance the prospects of our Emirati employees.

WFTGA accreditation is an important step for many trainers and we are delighted that Majid A. Al Qassimi has become one of the few Emiratis to be recognised as a WFTGA-accredited trainer." The intensive two week long ’Train the Trainer’ course took place at WFTGA’s regional training centre in Nicosia, Cyprus, in collaboration with Cyprus University. It was attended by international tourist guides who wish to become WFTGA-accredited trainers in their own countries. The programme featured a combination of applied knowledge, cultural and business studies, as well as practical training, reflecting WFTGA’s training ethos of simultaneous teaching of core knowledge and professional guiding skills.
 

View News Headlines