The Costa Rican Tourism Board (ICT) announced the official formation and legal induction of the members of the National Commission of Tourist Guides (CONAGUITUR), an inter-institutional agency with representatives from the public and private sectors, which will establish and monitor a training program for certified guides.
CONAGUITUR is overseen by the ICT and is also made up of the Costa Rican Association of Tourist Guides (Acogitur) and the Costa Rican National Federation of Tourist Guide Associations (Fenaguitur). Furthermore, it has active representatives from the National Training Institute (INA), the National Chamber of Tourism (CANATUR) and the Costa Rican Operational Association (ACOT).
CONAGUITUR met for the first time on Thursday in the ICT headquarters in the presence of all of its representatives. The session served as an opportunity to review the Tourist Guides Regulation, published in La Gaceta last November, whose chapters include the membership and scope of the commission.
“Forming this commission, for the ICT, is a tangible demonstration of the importance of teamwork and a partnership between the public and private sectors that has been brought about by common objectives. CONAGUITUR will be able to validate, train and formalize tourist guides, who are one of the main actors in the value-creation chain in the tourism industry, which is an engine of the Costa Rican economy”, declared Maria Amalia Revelo, Minister of Tourism.
Luis Diego Madrigal, President of the Costa Rican National Federation of Tourist Guides (Fenaguitur) noted that “guides are the largest sector under ICT regulations, and the creation of a commission was vital. We have been waiting for this commission for over forty years, as it will help us regulate, support and sustain tourist guides and other actors”.
In the ceremony, the President of the National Chamber of Tourism (CANATUR), Sary Valverde, recognized “the major effort that was undertaken to reach a consensus that will now allow us to have the largest possible representation for tourist guides at a national level. This will be done through CONAGUITUR, which will have the capability of understanding and solving the individual needs of such a profession as large as tourist guides, who are indispensable for tourism activities”.
Valverde added that the involvement of CANATUR in the commission will allow it to serve as a channel of communication between guides, fostering a recognition on the part of the private sector of the value of certified tourist guides and the importance of qualified professionals to maintain levels of excellence in all of the tourist services offered in the country.
Starting at the first working session, the road map for CONAGUITUR will be based on its 16 functions. A focus on technical education, professional development and training of tourist guides with programs from INA. In this area, studies that guides have undertaken from international tourism guide organizations will be recognized.
Another key function will be to harmonize training programs to set objectives and content in accordance with the required professional profiles according to the standards and needs of domestic and international tourist activities.
Furthermore, it will seek to manage and coordinate monitoring action with the competent entities to comply with the Regulation on Tourist Guides and related legislation. CONAGUITUR will monitor the agreements, programs and public-private projects related to its oversight role for tourist guides operating under the ICT aegis. Finally, the commission will play a role in proposing regulations that set out continuous improvements in the tourist guide profession, as well as developing activities to strengthen the profession and to acknowledge work performed by guides that is outstanding or extraordinary.
ICT noted that the Tourism Board’s legal counsel is making inquiries with the Costa Rican Attorney General’s office, asking that the hiring of certified tourist guides be made mandatory for all tourist activities.
“ICT’s tourism marketing has confirmed and validated the importance of tourist guides in the services that they provide to visitors. It consolidates the processes and makes it possible for investments to generate value. It makes tourism services tangible with a face-to-face interaction that sustains the image that is projected internationally and strengthens the National Plan of Tourist Development. This is the importance of a guide that does their job well, which is why guides should be certified and trained to provide service to tourists”, said the FENAGUITUR President.
The ICT has 2,299 guides with registered valid certification (1,226 with general certificates, 634 with local certificates and 439 who are specialized in adventure activities)
Source: Costa Rica Tourism Board
CONAGUITUR is overseen by the ICT and is also made up of the Costa Rican Association of Tourist Guides (Acogitur) and the Costa Rican National Federation of Tourist Guide Associations (Fenaguitur). Furthermore, it has active representatives from the National Training Institute (INA), the National Chamber of Tourism (CANATUR) and the Costa Rican Operational Association (ACOT).
CONAGUITUR met for the first time on Thursday in the ICT headquarters in the presence of all of its representatives. The session served as an opportunity to review the Tourist Guides Regulation, published in La Gaceta last November, whose chapters include the membership and scope of the commission.
“Forming this commission, for the ICT, is a tangible demonstration of the importance of teamwork and a partnership between the public and private sectors that has been brought about by common objectives. CONAGUITUR will be able to validate, train and formalize tourist guides, who are one of the main actors in the value-creation chain in the tourism industry, which is an engine of the Costa Rican economy”, declared Maria Amalia Revelo, Minister of Tourism.
Luis Diego Madrigal, President of the Costa Rican National Federation of Tourist Guides (Fenaguitur) noted that “guides are the largest sector under ICT regulations, and the creation of a commission was vital. We have been waiting for this commission for over forty years, as it will help us regulate, support and sustain tourist guides and other actors”.
In the ceremony, the President of the National Chamber of Tourism (CANATUR), Sary Valverde, recognized “the major effort that was undertaken to reach a consensus that will now allow us to have the largest possible representation for tourist guides at a national level. This will be done through CONAGUITUR, which will have the capability of understanding and solving the individual needs of such a profession as large as tourist guides, who are indispensable for tourism activities”.
Valverde added that the involvement of CANATUR in the commission will allow it to serve as a channel of communication between guides, fostering a recognition on the part of the private sector of the value of certified tourist guides and the importance of qualified professionals to maintain levels of excellence in all of the tourist services offered in the country.
Starting at the first working session, the road map for CONAGUITUR will be based on its 16 functions. A focus on technical education, professional development and training of tourist guides with programs from INA. In this area, studies that guides have undertaken from international tourism guide organizations will be recognized.
Another key function will be to harmonize training programs to set objectives and content in accordance with the required professional profiles according to the standards and needs of domestic and international tourist activities.
Furthermore, it will seek to manage and coordinate monitoring action with the competent entities to comply with the Regulation on Tourist Guides and related legislation. CONAGUITUR will monitor the agreements, programs and public-private projects related to its oversight role for tourist guides operating under the ICT aegis. Finally, the commission will play a role in proposing regulations that set out continuous improvements in the tourist guide profession, as well as developing activities to strengthen the profession and to acknowledge work performed by guides that is outstanding or extraordinary.
ICT noted that the Tourism Board’s legal counsel is making inquiries with the Costa Rican Attorney General’s office, asking that the hiring of certified tourist guides be made mandatory for all tourist activities.
“ICT’s tourism marketing has confirmed and validated the importance of tourist guides in the services that they provide to visitors. It consolidates the processes and makes it possible for investments to generate value. It makes tourism services tangible with a face-to-face interaction that sustains the image that is projected internationally and strengthens the National Plan of Tourist Development. This is the importance of a guide that does their job well, which is why guides should be certified and trained to provide service to tourists”, said the FENAGUITUR President.
The ICT has 2,299 guides with registered valid certification (1,226 with general certificates, 634 with local certificates and 439 who are specialized in adventure activities)
Source: Costa Rica Tourism Board
