Future of Tourism in Goa

Yesterday over lunch, in discussion with my mentor and good friend Naveen Malhotra, talked about creating Schools for Tourist Guides. He talked for few minutes about its feasibility and value proposition. And to think of it, its one of the most amazing institutions that can be created in Goa.

Here are some existing institutes across the world

Training and Diplomas in Montreal and Quebec City

Institute recognised for Training in Montreal

Tourist Guide Training in Puerto Rico

Scottish Educational system for Tourist Guides by Rosalind Newlands

The US Educational system for Tourist Guides by Vicky Schwartz

New Orleans, Louisiana - Educational system for Tourist Guides by Bobbie Gattuso

Greek Educational system for Tourist Guides by Efi Kalamboukidou

Icelandic Educational System for Tourist Guides by Stefan Helgi Valsson

http://wftga.org/page.asp?id=110

So how can this function:

Most students will working during the day and classes can be given during the night or weekends. Hostel facility along with student fees can be covered a Student Loan fund that the government needs to create. A basic allowance also can be thought of. These students can choose to specialize in different forms of knowledge areas such as History, Architecture, etc. and post graduation degree at India level. Next is to create job opportunities for these students.

Such guides can be great value to Five Star Hotels, Travel Operators such as Sita etc. The institute can tie-up with Language Institutions such as Alliance Francisse and Max Muller for French, German, Spanish etc. Where students can be offered to be multilingual . By which they can be deployed in foreign countries for creating tourism awareness and be the single point of contact for tourists visiting from that respective city.

So how do we increase myriad footprint of high value of tourists? One of them is to start Town twinning / Sister Cities which is a concept whereby towns or cities in geographically and politically distinct areas are paired, with the goal of fostering human contact and cultural link. Goa must identify cities and towns across the globe where there are such fitments and focus on the top 20 countries with high HNI. These tourist guides should be placed in Cultural Offices there to spread the message of Goa along with arts forms and handicrafts of Goa. The cultural centers opened there is a place where locals can look at Indian Movies, Indian culture, taste Indian and Goan food, along with travel desk offering travel arrangements. The same facility must be reciprocated in Goa to these countries to establish their cultural centers. Jai

Jai hind

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