About the European Federation of Tourist Guide Association (FEG)

Our Members are the professional, qualified tourist guides in Europe. They are committed to quality and standards and add value to the visitor experience. Using key techniques that combine knowledge and practical skills they help bring alive each location and are often described as 'ambassadors' for their country. A Code of Conduct and a Quality Charter reinforces their professional approach. If you'd like to find one of our Members click on the LINKS. If you'd like to read more about FEG and its work for Tourist Guides click on 'read more'.

FEG was founded in 1986 in Paris to represent the profession at European level, to publicise and improve the quality of service offered to all visitors to Europe and to bring together and strengthen professional tourist guiding links across Europe.

Twenty two years later in 2008 FEG is the voice of professional tourist guides in the Europe and is recognised as an advocate of high standards and quality in tourism. It is an active member of the European Tourism Action Group (ETAG) and a participant or observer in key European forums.

The current full members are:

Austria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Malta, Netherlands, Portugal, Russia, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Turkey and the United Kingdom.

Latvia is an associate member.

In 2009 Croatia became a full member and Netherlands became also a full member at the FEG AGM in november 2009.

Correspondent countries include Bosnia, Estonia, Finland, Hungary, Norway, Poland, Serbia, Switzerland and Ukraine.

FEG’S WORK FOR PROFESSIONAL TOURIST GUIDES IN EUROPE

FEG is the Professional Tourist Guides’ voice in Europe (and especially the EU). It is respected and it is consulted.
FEG provides expertise where needed to ensure that the Tourist Guide’s role is understood and promoted.
FEG knows where to go and whom to speak to about Tourist Guiding issues.
FEG is best placed to speak for Tourist Guides on issues such as equivalence of professional qualifications, standards in tourist guiding and tourist guide training. It is well placed to establish common criteria in all areas of tourist guiding.
FEG can achieve a common approach on professional issues. It is able help the industry and consumers greater understand what they can expect of a professional tourist guide in Europe.
FEG brings together the Tourist Guide national associations for mutual benefit.
FEG provides an opportunity for association and individual networking through its meetings, seminars and website.

IN DETAIL

1. FEG as a voice for tourist guides in Europe

FEG gives professional tourist guides a voice in Europe. Over 20 years FEG has been able to achieve a much higher profile for tourist guides in Europe and has itself become recognised and respected as a relevant lobby for its profession. In fact it is increasingly the case that European organisations prefer to consult with other European organisations rather than with local or national groups. As a result FEG representatives attend and/or sit on a number of pan-European groupings and FEG contributes on a regular basis to discussions on all aspects of the tourism industry in Europe. FEG was a member of the Commission’s Sustainable Tourism Group, which reported in March 2007 and in 2009, will be contributing to the new Social Tourism Working Party.

In particular FEG is a Member of ETAG (European Tourism Action Group) which is also a member of WTO (World Tourism Organisation) FEG attends and has contributed to the Tourism Forums sponsored by the EU Presidency and responds to appropriate tourism consultations (as, for instance, on Sustainability in March 2007). FEG seeks to increase it’s presence in Brussels through developing contacts with the European Commission Directorates and The European Parliament (see 3 below).

2. Tourist guiding as a unique and distinct profession

Historically Tourist Guiding has developed for decades as a distinct profession within the tourism industry alongside other complimentary professions that also contribute to the visitors’ overall experience. Professional qualifications for tourist guides in European Countries have helped raise quality and standards and in a number they are needed to practice the profession.

Over the years there have been various attempts to define services in tourism. The entire industry helped the European Normalisation Body (CEN) develop a European Norm which was finally approved in 2003 (EN13809- 2003). Representatives from across tourism and across Europe took part.

FEG was an official observer and a number of Tourist Guide experts, whom FEG had identified, played an important role in deliberations about many of the final definitions. The result of this work has been widely reported. The definitions add greater clarity and transparency to a vast range of services provided – including definitions of such things as, to see’ ,’ a visit’,’ a cruise’,’ a guided tour’ etc. There are separate definitions for Tourist Guide and Tour Manager that help to clarify the differences between these two professions. It benefits the consumer – and authorities - to know how each service in the industry fits together and to understand that the services and professions are not the same as each other. The established distinction between the two professions of Tourist Guiding and Tour Managing has been a notable historical achievement. This is the more important in instances where this distinction is misunderstood or blurred.

3. Tourist Guide Training and Qualification – key to high standards and quality service provision

FEG, at its meeting in Prague in February 2006, finalised its own document, ‘Tourist Guide Training – The Way Forward’. As a consensus of views of its Members the Document establishes common criteria for tourist guide training and identifies common subjects for modules. It additionally emphasises the importance of language skills and compliments FEG’s documents on language testing. Crucially it recognises that the vocation of tourist guiding comprises the interaction of knowledge and practical skills and sets out how this can delivered in training. FEG’s wealth of experience, its involvement in so many countries and its members’ unique position in so often being the link between destinations and the visitor makes this a ’best practice’ document of help to training providers across Europe.

‘Tourist Guide Training – The Way Forward’ is available for purchase - contact the Secretariat for information.

At the same time FEG was formulating the Way Forward policy document CEN embarked upon the development of a European Standard on Tourist Guide Training and Qualification. This new project, instigated by Austria, has now for the first time resulted in a European Standard that sets out the minimum standard for training leading to qualification. EN15565 was approved in January 2008 and adopted by CEN signatory countries by September 2008. Never before has there been a pan-European consensus on the minimum hours needed for training, the subjects and competencies to be covered, the relation between knowledge and practical skills and the level of language required.

EN15565 involved FEG and its Members, together with experts with relevant experience. The standard can, of course, be applied across Europe and is already being heralded as a major pan-European achievement. This will help in establishing the equivalence of qualifications from one state to another whilst again increase consumer awareness of the type and level of service for which they are paying.

Copies of EN15565 can be purchased direct from CEN. The equivalent National standard can be obtained from each member country’s normalisation body. In 2009 FEG will be publishing a guide of the Standard.

4. FEG’s role in training provision and policy

As the EU expands over the next few years there will naturally be much greater cross-border supply of services and the issue of equivalence of professional qualifications from one country to another will grow in importance. FEG is well aware of this and recognises that a vital part of its work is to consider the issue in relation to tourist guiding. Whether tourist guiding is regulated in a country or not it will become increasingly important to be able to establish how one country's training and qualification relates to another.

Following FEG’s AGM in Istanbul in 2006 a Training Committee was established. Its Mission Statement is as follows:

To develop, promote and implement FEG’s policy and criteria in relation to Tourist Guide Training and Consultancy Services.
To handle all related enquires and appoint suitable Trainers / Consultants.
To establish FEG Training Programmes including those relating to ‘Training the Trainers’ and Continuing Professional Development (CPD).
To pro-actively work to ensure FEG’s Trainers, Consultants and Programmes are known and used extensively.
To seek funding for FEG’s work in relation to Tourist Guide Training.

Since 2006 the Committee has identified training programmes that can be delivered in accordance with the terms of reference. Three seminars are already offered Seminar 1 – The Art of Tourist Guiding Seminar 2 – Guiding Visitors with Special Needs Seminar 3 - Guiding Mass Tourism Movements (e.g. Cruise Visitors, Conferences)

A 4th seminar, covering EU and pan-European issues for Tourist Guides is under development and will be ready as a product in 2009.

Seminars 2 and 3 were delivered by FEG accredited trainers at FEG’s 2008 AGM in Mallorca to most favourable evaluation. Seminar 1 will be delivered in Riga, Latvia in April 2009 and delivery of FEG training is under discussion in other member countries.

Wherever funding is possible FEG will support appropriate projects. In November 2007 a Leonardo funded project seeking to establish criteria for City Guide training was completed. FEG contributed its views again with emphasis on quality and standards.

Working for Tourist Guides with the EU and European Commission

Within the Parliament, Commission, the Directorates and Secretariat of the EU FEG has developed contacts and different levels and has been able to put the tourist guide view forward sometimes to great effect.

FEG followed closely the progress of the European Union Directive on the Recognition of Professional Qualifications which was approved in September 2005 and which was implemented in October 2007. In written contributions and in meetings FEG, along with other professions, helped show that a suspension of the rules of equivalence to be applied would be inappropriate in relation to short term provision of cross border services. The current implementation of the new Directive on Internal Services is also being followed with keen interest.

Again in common with many stakeholders FEG made comments about the ‘country of origin principle’, this was eventually removed. In 2007 FEG echoed the Directorate’s wish to see quality and high standards in the provision of services. FEG’s Quality Charter that sets down what a visitor can expect of FEG’s members is shown as an example on the Directorate’s website (see also paragraph 5 below).

There has been a deal of confusion and misconception about the purpose and implementation of the Internal Services Directive and how it relates to the Directive on Recognition of Professional Qualifications. FEG continues to have concerns for tourist guides and will pursue these through 2009, including in dialogue with the EC, in liaison with members and through independent legal and academic research. It especially needs to be emphasised that the Directive on Internal Services works alongside the Directive on Recognition of Professional Qualifications which is not superseded by the Directive on Internal Services.

5. FEG’s Quality Charter and a Code of Conduct

A further way in which FEG and its Members have helped to promote an understanding of what professional tourist guides do has been the development of a Quality Charter. By pooling resources, a FEG Quality Charter was approved by all its Members. It will help clients understand exactly what they could expect of tourist guides all over Europe. The Quality Charter has been adopted by the World Federation of Tourist Guide Associations (WFTGA).

In spring 2008 WFTGA’s Code of Conduct was considered and adopted by FEG. This step means that both Quality Charter and Code of Conduct apply to 40000 tourist guides in Europe and to further tens of thousands across the world.

6. FEG working to bring together members for mutual benefit.

There is yet another side to FEG, outside the EU work and representing Tourist Guides in Europe. It is the role FEG can play in bringing the various and often disparate tourist guide associations together for mutual benefit. Often this might be to share common challenges or to share information – issues such as site liaison, new European legislation and regulations (e.g. in relation to coaches , requests to know the services provided by colleagues across Europe, which markets are growing or shrinking etc.) This is important. By knowing that there are common issues and by exchanging information both FEG and the national associations are better equipped and can grow – including with non-member associations. In 2007 FEG engaged its first lawyer with European expertise, developed a link with Visit Europe, is seeking sponsorship and is working on a joint campaign to promote quality and standards with the World Federation of Tourist Guide Associations (WFTGA). All key documents can be found on www.feg-touristguides.org.

7. Networking

Finally there is the networking. This is found to be extremely useful for members - whether it’s the contacts made at FEG meetings, seminars and conventions or through the use of the various national directories and web site information. FEG’s website links directly to Member Associations and to a whole host of other resources for tourist guide and visitor alike.

In 2004 FEG’s Convention was held in Sicily. In the same year FEG’s Members met in Riga to commemorate the expansion of the EU. In 2005 FEG’s Members met in Paris and Malta. In 2006 FEG began its 20^th Anniversary Celebrations in Prague and continued them in Istanbul in November. Both were highly successful and promoted the role of the professional tourist guide. For the first time ever, in January 2007 FEG sponsored two workshops at the World Federation of Tourist Guide Associations’ (WFTGA’s) Convention in Cairo. As another first in March 2007 FEG’s spring meeting took place in Brussels, where ETAG’s Secretary was warmly welcomed. In March 2008 FEG returned to Brussels and Members were able to visit the European Parliament. The 2007 AGM in Bratislava, Slovakia celebrated Slovakia as it s newest member whilst the 2008 AGM in Mallorca celebrated the Balearic association’s 30th anniversary. In March 2009 FEG will be back in Brussels and its 2009 AGM will be in Porto, Portugal with a full programme of supporting events.

For more information see www.feg-touristguides.org or contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

TH London, November 2008.

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