Tourist guides accredited internationally

IN a move to improve the quality of local tourist guides to an international standard, Brunei Tourism organised the nation's first World Federation Tourist Guide Associations (WFTGA) training courses.

The training which started from November 3 until November 27 was conducted by Iris Barry and Mary Kemp Clarke, World Trainers under the WFTGA.

The 'Hands On Tourist Guiding Course' saw the participation of 20 tourist guides enrolled in the course. Those who passed the examination were awarded with badges indicating that they are on par with the international standard of WFTGA, said Clarke in an interview with The Brunei Times.

She said that she has no means of knowing how many of the tourist guides (students) will pass the examination as the exam was moderated by the WFTGA.

She added that a further 20 tourist guides in the second intake of training would be completing their training on Thursday, where they will be sitting through their examinations. She expressed her hope that a majority of them would pass their examinations.

"What we are trying to create is the standard where people could expect good professional communication and guiding skills to visitors the world over," she said.

"The World Federation believes that tourist guides are ambassadors and they are the people who would market a place," she said, emphasising on the importance of having local information and knowledge.

" We come here to train them in terms of communication skills, observations, understanding and raising cultural awareness, understanding about the need for rapport and ensuring the well-being of the tourist", she said.

She explained that for the practical test, they chose a walk around the capital, in addition to touring the Brunei Museum. Clarke added that they have to perform well during a bus tour which took about one and a half hour. The site visit test could be of three locations, namely a mosque, museum or gallery.

The Brunei Times asked the WFTGA world trainer on her opinion of the standard of Brunei tourist guides. She remarked that Brunei tourist guides 'are looking pretty good'.

"We expect the tourist guides to sit down when they are in a moving vehicle (but) in many parts of the world, guides like to stand up."

She said that remaining seated in a moving vehicle was important for the safety of both the tourist guide and the tourists.

She said that most tourists coming into the country develop a relationship with their tourist guides, regardless if the visit was only for a few hours or a few days.

"The tourist guides may be the only local people that the tourist may come to know," she said, adding that tourist guides were crucial in the interaction between people and the local community.

Thus, Clarke stressed the importance of having a trained professional, with good communication skills and can double up as an interpreter.

In light of the current economic crisis, she said "money is short all over the world, people may not want to travel to Europe, so Brunei is an ideal destination". She added Brunei was a place where one would not have to travel far within the country to enjoy themselves.

When asked for a tourist guide's opinion of the country's eco-tourism industry, Clarke replied that the eco-tourism in Brunei was ideal.

"The idea of not putting Proboscis monkeys inside a zoo is wonderful," she said.

She remarked that tourists wanted to see the animals and nature in their natural state, adding that the days of the zoo and safari parks are finishing.

She lauded Brunei for its efforts in preserving primary rainforest. She recalled that in other places, one would have to travel days upriver to get to the rainforest.

Brunei should be proud of its rainforest and therefore it is important to protect them, she said.

Another intriguing aspect of Brunei lie in its official religion, Islam which she described as 'gentle'. People from all over the world were welcome into places where they were able to learn about other cultures.

With interconnection flights originating from all parts of the world, she said Brunei was in a position to start inviting people in.

The world trainer suggested that Brunei could develop Spa tourism as a form of relaxation that would develop a niche.