Diploma-certified guides took to the streets today, Thursday, protesting against the bill proposed by the Ministry of Tourism to modernize the profession. This is the second strike action on the same day, after that of taxi drivers.

As they state the bill in question, “among other things, the proposed definition of the tour guide limits his work to enclosed spaces, despite the fact that the history, sights and culture of Greece are not ‘enclosed’. At the same time, the efforts and proposals of tour guides to strengthen the control of illegal guided tours are not listened to and even the work of the School of Guides is downgraded.”

In the official statement of the federation it is stated that “the guides of the whole country, from the first moment we expressed our opposition and objection to this “modernization”. And despite repeated discussions with the Ministry of Tourism, despite the development of our positions in the relevant Committee of the House, despite any attempts at convergence, there are significant points of divergence, so that, in the five minutes of the passage of the bill, the guides are in turmoil, as there is no assurance for the quality of the services provided tour guiding and the future of the profession of the guide.”

The announcement of the Panhellenic Federation of Tour Guides

The Ministry of Tourism is proposing a bill to the Parliament for adoption, with which it attempts to “modernize” the profession of tour guide. Among other things, the proposed definition of a tour guide limits his work to enclosed and enclosed spaces, despite the fact that the history, sights and culture of Greece are not “enclosed”. At the same time, the efforts and proposals of tour guides to strengthen the control of illegal guided tours are not listened to and even the work of the School of Guides is downgraded.

The guides of the whole country, from the very first moment we expressed our opposition and objection to this “modernization”. And despite the repeated discussions with the Ministry of Tourism, despite the development of our positions in the relevant committee of the Parliament, despite any attempts at convergence, there are significant points of divergence, so that the guides are in turmoil, as there is no guarantee for the quality of the services of guiding and for the future of the profession of the guide.

Modernising the legislation on tour guides, in a country with tens of millions of tourists every year, cannot mean a downgrading of their work. In the name of ‘competitiveness’, guiding cannot be substituted by ‘escorting’ in the name of ‘competitiveness’. Guiding without serious training, without education, without experience, without protection of the concept and the profession is not possible. We therefore reiterate our opposition to the degradation of our profession and its substitution by services of persons not qualified for this purpose and we ask:

(a) Recognition of the significantly multi-dimensional and multi-faceted role of the tourist guide, through our proposals for its definition.

b) The qualitative education and training of tour guides: upgrading of the Schools of Guides, reduction of the annual maximum number of two-month accelerated seminars and the abolition of the possibility of conducting them by the Lifelong Learning Centers.

c) Combating the phenomenon of illegal guided tours

Even at the last moment, we call on the Ministry, the Government and the Greek Parliament to rise to the occasion and to recognize in practice the importance of the profession of the tour guide, who is the -literally- living representative of Greece to its visitors.