18 February 2010 - The tourist guide fraternity celebrates the International Tourist Guide Day on February 21 each year. The main objective of this day is to recognise and celebrate the important role performed by tourist guides within the tourism value chain. The South African National Department of Tourism has encouraged Provinces through its Provincial Registrar's Offices to celebrate the month of February or to have activities on the day every year to mark the celebration of this day.

International Tourist Guide Day was held for the first time in 1990 with only 15 countries participating in the celebrations as an initiative of the WFTGA (World Federation of Tourist Guides). Since then, tourist guides have been giving help to their local communities, conducting tours for disabled persons, disadvantaged persons, children, industry stakeholders, officials and the public.

This year, the National Tourist Guide Forum has taken a decision to elevate the celebration of this day (21st February) to that of the World Tourism Day celebrated annually on September 27. The decision was for the National Department of Tourism to collaborate with a province in hosting a national celebration of World Tourist Guides Day in a particular province in order to have a greater impact.

Limpopo will be the first province to host the national celebrations of the International Tourist Guides Day on 21 February 2010 in partnership with the National Department of Tourism. It is for the first time that provinces will send delegates whilst also organising their own celebrations.

OBJECTIVES AND THEME FOR 2010 WORLD TOURIST GUIDES DAY: The objectives of the national celebration event are:

• To create a platform for raising awareness on the importance of World Tourist Guides Day.
• To use the event to recognise the role performed by tourist guides within the Tourism Industry.
• To reward service excellence within the tourist guiding fraternity as a build up for the annual Welcome Awards.
• To create a base for inter-provincial partnerships for tourist guides.
• To create a platform for sharing best practices for service excellence within the Tourist Guiding fraternity.

The proposed theme for the 2010 national celebration of World Tourist Guides Day is "Together building a sustainable tourist guiding fraternity as we celebrate milestones achieved."

Limpopo has planned to have a two-day event starting on the 20th and culminating into 21 February 2010. The event will have two facets, an exploratory aspect for all visiting tourist guides and an educative workshop aimed at sharing best practices to improve service delivery within the tourist guiding fraternity.

The event is to be held in Phalaborwa and Hoedspruit since it coincides with the annual Limpopo Marula Festival taking place in Phalaborwa. Selected tourist guide representatives from Kwazulu-Natal, Western Cape, Eastern Cape, Gauteng, Northern Cape and Free State will be transported from Polokwane International Airport and Hoedspruit's East Gate Airport to Phalaborwa on 19 February 2010, to join with delegates from North- West, Mpumalanga and the host province, Limpopo and depart on 21 February 2010.

Activities to celebrate the day are to include workshops, a visit to the Limpopo Marula Festival 4X4 challenge, a visit to the Amarula Lapa (home to Africa's most sought after cream liqueur, Amarula Cream) in Phalaborwa, a boat cruise, bush braai at Masorini Heritage Site and a tour of Phalaborwa and Hoedspruit in an open bus.