10 things To Know About The European Federation of Tourist Guide Associations

Qualified tourist guides across Europe are supported by the European Federation of Tourist Guide Associations (FEG) who helps 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. This is an ever important role, as the number of tourists to the region increases each year.  With that in mind, below are ten things to know about the organisation which started over thirty years ago.
 

FEG member-association delegates at the annual general assembly. ©FEG

1. The European Federation of Tourist Guide Associations was set up in 1986 to promote qualified and professional tourist guides in Europe.
2. The European Federation of Tourist Guide Associations currently has member- associations in 27 European countries. The current full members are:
   Austria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Netherlands, Portugal, Russia, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom. The associate members are: Albania, Estonia, Hungary, Iceland, Luxemburg, Malta, Montenegro, Poland, Romania, Slovenia and Ukraine.
3. The European Federation of Tourist Guide Associations is legally based in Paris, France.
4. The European Federation of Tourist Guide Associations offers themed life-long seminars and courses to qualified tourist guides, as well as basic practical courses on guiding techniques, via its accredited FEG tourist guide trainers.
5. The European Federation of Tourist Guide Associations members and delegates annually meet in November in a different European city and enjoy networking, hospitality, local gastronomy and sightseeing. At the same time, the appointed FEG delegates of each country have their Annual General Assembly.
6. The European Federation of Tourist Guide Associations strongly supports and encourages the implementation of the voted European standards EN13809:2003 and EN15565: 2008 for high quality guiding services in our own destinations.
7. The European Federation of Tourist Guide Associations is a member of the European Tourism Manifesto group, Europa Nostra, CEPLIS, CEN-CENELEC, World Travel Market and a partner of the World Federation of Tourist Guide Associations, European Travel Commission, European Network for Accessible Tourism, Live Private Guided Tours app, World Food Travel Association and Athina Training.
8. The European Federation of Tourist Guide Associations has a voted Code of Conduct and a Quality Charter to be followed by all its members.
9. The European Federation of Tourist Guide Associations supports that guiding practical skills and techniques and excellent language skills are the most important element in a tourist guide's training and work.
10. The European Federation of Tourist Guide Associations offers great opportunities to its member-associations for networking, meetings, social media promotion, digital technology.