66 more tour guides join ranks of professionals

A total of 66 newly qualified personnel are now ready to serve as tour guides, part of efforts to make a success of Visit Laos-China Year 2019 and bring Laos’ tourist attractions to life.
The group has completed the government’s 26th national tour guide training programme, which took place in Vientiane from May 27 to August 9.
Their graduation ceremony was attended by the Deputy Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism, Mr Ounethouang Khaophanh, and senior officials from the Institute of Mass Media, Culture and Tourism, which organised the training course.
The institute has been running the tour guide training programme since 2009 which continued under the same format until the 25th course in 2013, during which time more than 1,300 people completed the programme.
The course content was then revised and training carried out at the provincial level in line with the changes brought about under the Party’s new Three Builds development directive.
The latest 26th training course followed the new improved curriculum.  It was taught by 24 trainers from the National University of Laos, various ministries, and China. The trainees were instilled with a love for this kind of work and learnt more about Laos’ culture and traditions, while also learning about the need for ethical behaviour.
The course teaches six topics of general knowledge, five basic aspects of tour guiding, and 13 specific areas of knowledge. The 400 hour course comprised 248 hours of theory and 152 hours of practical work.
The trainers stressed the importance of the tour guide profession in serving tourists. In this capacity, guides not only provide information but also leave visitors with a strong and lasting impression of the country and its people, so the guides’ personal attitude to Lao culture and traditions is very important.
The revision of the tour guide curriculum brings the training programme in line with Asean standards.

By Times Reporters
(Latest Update August 13, 2019)