Georgian Association of Guides

Member of WFTGA

Updated Brief 5
Tbilisi, 8 October 2010

Georgian Association of Guides (GAG) is conducting the Regional Conference ”Tourist Guides –
Responding to prospects and challenges of Regional Tourism in South Caucasus and Turkey” with
financial support of the GTZ South Caucasus Private Sector Development Programme, The Government
of Ajara (Department of Tourism and Resorts of Ajara), Ministry of Economy and Sustainable
Development of Georgia, World Federation of Tourist Guide Associations (WFTGA), partner Associations
as well as governmental agencies and academic institutions in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey.
The main goal of the event is to gather the Guides Associations as well as relevant stakeholders in order
to discuss how to better contribute in advancement of the quality of cross-border tourism in South
Caucasus and Turkey through the improvement of tourist guides training. The regional conference will
focus on key problems of tourist guides of the three South Caucasus countries and Turkey. For this
purpose the Regional Conference will be held for sharing information and experience, support
cooperation among them by taking joint effort towards setting common objectives.

The regional conference is to focus on key problems of tourist guides of the three South Caucasus
countries and Turkey as well as forms and means of encouraging the guides to contribute better in
enhancement tourism potential of their towns and villages. The Conference will assist key stakeholders to
launch discussion about standardisation and qualification improvement of their tourist guides. Regional
dimension will allow sharing information and experience, support cooperation among them by taking joint
effort towards setting common objectives in this regard.

The Event envisages gathering the key stakeholders of three South Caucasus countries (representatives
of the tourism departments and other related government agencies, tourism associations, companies,
academic institutions and media) to take part in the following activities within the framework of the
conference during the period of 3-6 December 2010:
1. Workshops on tourist guiding standards and licensing in the countries of South Caucasus –
problems and perspectives.
2. Exhibition of the Guides Associations of South Caucasus and Turkey.
3. Press conference

Interested parties are invited to contribute in development of the Conference programme as well as
relevant initiatives as prospective outcome of the event.

For more information please contact:

Giorgi Dartsimelia
Executive Director
Georgian Association of Guides (GAG)
Janashia Str. 5, 0179 Tbilisi, Georgia
Mob: +995-77-760588
Tel/Fax: +995 32 233756
Email: gdartsimelia@guides.ge

Annexes:
1. Proposed Draft Programme
2. Ideas for Initiatives (proposed by Georgian side)
3. Proposed list of participants
Annex 1. Proposed Draft Programme of the Conference
[DRAFT]
Proposed Programme

Regional Conference:
”Tourist Guides – Responding to Prospects and Challenges of Regional Tourism in
South Caucasus and Turkey”
Batumi, 3-6 December 2010

Day 1, December 3
15.00-17.00 Arrival of Participants, registration
17.00-18.40 Preparatory Workshop: Guides Associations and other stakeholders discussing the
drafts
18.45-19.20 Welcome drinks hosted by H.E. Veronica Kobalia, Minister of Economy of Georgia
19.30-21.00 Welcome Dinner hosted by H.E. Levan Varshalomidze, Chairman of the Government of
Ajara

Day 1, December 4
10.00-11.00 Opening of the Conference – Welcome speeches
Key speakers: Mrs Veronica Kobalia, Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development, Georgia
Minister of Culture and Tourism, Azerbaijan
Minister of Economy, Armenia
Mrs Maia Sidamonidze, Head, National Tourism Agency, Georgia
Mr Teimuraz Diasamidze, Head, Ajara Tourism Department
Mrs Rosalind Newlands, President, World Federation of Tourist Guides Associations
Mr Serif Yenen, President, Turkish Guides Association
Mrs Ketevan Meladze, President, Georgian Association of Guides
Mrs Svetlana Sargsyan, President, Armenian Guides Guild

11.00-12.00 Plenary Session: International Experience on Transboundary Tourism and Tourist

Guiding [Chaired by Saulius Jovaisas]
- TUREB presentation: Invited experts – experience of other countries – representative
of Turkey
- USAID presentation: “Value Change in Tourism” - Grant Morrill, EPI, Senior
Competitivness Advisor, USAID
- GTZ presentation: Supprting crossborder tourism development at micro level –
Giorgi Grdzelishvili, GTZ South Caucasus Private Sector Development Programme

12.00-12.30 Coffee break

12.30-13.00 Plenary Session: Governmental Policies and Regulation of Tourist Guiding in South
Caucasus countries [Chaired by Svetlana Sargsyan]
- Representative of Armenia
- Representative of Azerbaijan
- Representative of Georgia
- Representative of Turkey
Discussion: questions to the Representative of Armenia, Representative of Azerbaijan,
Representative of Georgia, Invited experts – experience of other countries – representative of Turkey

13.00-14.00 Lunch
14.00-16.00 Workshop 1: Guides – the key actors in the South Caucasus Tourism Development
[Chaired by Azerbaijan]: Need for common approach – ‘guides – the hosts of the region’. Role of
Tourist Guides in Regional Tours (Three countries of the South Caucasus – ‘Caucasus Tourist
Triangle’) Role of Tourist Guides in Enhancing Tourist potential of South Caucasus Capitals. Key
questions for South Caucasus: Do we need licensed guides? Do we need standardisation of
Guides?
16.00-16.30 Coffee break
16.30-17.00 Workshop 2: Supporting the employment of South Caucasus local guiedes -
Challenges and prospects [Chaired by Georgia]
16.30-17.00 Workshop 3: Ecotourism Development Prospects in South Caucasus [Chaired by
Turkey]
Presentation by TURSAB: Sinan Haliç
Presentation by REC Caucasus: Georgi Arzumanyan, Executive Director
Ecotourism Prospects in Georgia - Presentation by Temur Khutsishvili, Caucasus University
19.00 Gala Dinner hosted by GTZ

Day 3, December 5
09.30 Plenary Session
Workshop 4: Ethics and Standards of South Caucasus Guides [Chaired by Armenia]
(Standardisation of Guides: national requirements and needs, prospects and challenges)
11.30-12.00 Coffee break
Workshop 5: Networking and Cooperation: Need for South Caucasus Tourist guides cooperation –
ideas and proposals for prospective regional partnership projects
13.00-14.00 Lunch
14.00-16.00 Plenary Session: Summing up / exhibition in parallel
16.00-16.30 Coffee break
16.30-17.30 Plenary Session: Summing up, signing the MoU, adopting the respective documents
17.30-17.50 Press Conference
Key speakers: Mrs Maia Sidamonidze, Head, National Tourism Agency, Georgia
H.E. Abulfas Garayev, Minister of Culture and Tourism of Azerbaijan
H.E. Nerses Yeritsyan, Minister of Economy of Armenia
Mrs Rosalind Newlands, President, WFTGA
Mr. Teimuraz Diasamidze, Head, Ajara Tourism Department
Mrs Ketevan Meladze, President, GAG
Mr Serif Yenen, President, Turkish Guides Association
Mrs Svetlana Sargsyan, President, Armenian Guides Guild

17.50-18.00 Closure of the Conference

18.00-19.30 Short tour in Batumi
19.30-21.30 Farewell Dinner hosted by the Ministry of Economy of Georgia

Day 4, December 6
09.30-11.00 Follow up joint group workshop: Armenian, Georgian, Azerbaijani and Turkish Guides
Associations making agreement on conference follow up activities
10.00-12.00 Departure of Participants
Annex 2. Proposed Ideas for Prospective Transboundary Initiatives and Projects on Tourist Guiding

[DRAFT]

Ideas for Joint Initiatives

[Proposed by Georgia]

Regional Conference:
”Tourist Guides – Responding to Prospects and Challenges of Regional Tourism in
South Caucasus and Turkey”
Batumi, 3-6 December 2010

THEME 1: Advancing New Regional Standards in Training of Tourist Guiding:

- Capital city guiding knowledge sharing scheme – ‘guides – the hosts of the capital cities’.
- Preliminary Regional Trainings for the Trainers of South Caucasus Tourist Guides
- Regional Project on Comparative Study of Tourist Guides Standardisation and Licensing in
the countries of South Caucasus

THEME 2: SupportingEnhancing Access to Trainings through internet and other means:

- Webinars for South Caucasus Tourist Guides
- Forum of Tourist Guide Trainers
- Information and knowledge exchange schemes (internet based)

THEME 3: Conventional Projects for training the guides: Regional trainings

- Training needs of Tourist Guides of South Caucasus Capitals
- Retraining opportunities
- Regional Training and Information exchange schemes
- Regional Training Centre (why not?)

THEME 4: Regional Research Projects

- Ethics and Standards of South Caucasus Guides (Standardisation of Guides: national
requirements and needs, prospects and challenges)
- Training needs assessment of South Caucasus guides
- Needs assessment for Trainers of Tourist Guides

THEME 5: Networking and Cooperation

- Supporting development of Forms and Mechanisms for South Caucasus Tourist guides
cooperation
- ideas and proposals further advancement of prospective regional partnership projects

Other ideas:
- Regional Guides Literature and Video production exhibitions
- Regional Books & Tours events
- Web-library for South Caucasus guides
Annex 3. Draft List of Participants of the Conference
DRAFT

Regional Conference:
”Tourist Guides – Responding to prospects and challenges of Regional Tourism in
South Caucasus and Turkey”
3-6 December 2010
Batumi, Georgia

Prospective list of Participants

Armenia
1. Mr. Nerses Yeritsyan, Minister of Economy of Armenia
2. Mr. Mekhak Apresyan, Head, Tourism Department
3. Mrs. Svetlana Sargsyan, President, Armenian Guides Guild
4. Mrs. Naira Sukiasyan, Armenian Guides Guild
5. Mr. Yeghishe Tanashyan, President, Armenian Chamber of American Society of Travel Agents
6. Mr. Robert Minasyan, Director, Tourism Institute of Armenia
7. Travel Media Representative, Armenia
8. Travel Media Representative, Armenia

Azerbaijan
9. Mr. Abulfas Garayev, Minister of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Azerbaijan
10. Mr. Aydin Ismiyev, Head of Tourism Department of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism
11. Mr. Mahir Gahramanov, Head of Sector on Development of Internal Tourism of Tourism
Department of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism
12. Mr. Faig Gubadov, National Coordinator of UNDP Tourism Development Project
13. Mr. Nahid Baghirov, President of Azerbaijan Tourism Association (AzTA)
14. Mr. Jafar Jafarov, Rector of Azerbaijan Tourism Institute
15. Ms. Gunay Asadova, correspondent of ‘Paritet’ newspaper
16. Ms. Fexriyye Abdullayeva, Head of tourism section of ‘Medeniyyet’ newspaper

Georgia
17. Mrs. Veronica Kobalia, Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development, Georgia
18. Mrs. Maia Sidamonidze, Head of National Tourism Agency
19. Mr. Levan Varshalomidze, Chairman, Ajara Government
20. Mr. Teimuraz Diasamidze, Head, Ajara Tourism Department
21. Representative, Ajara Tourism Agency
22. Mrs. Ketevan Meladze, President, Georgian Association of Guides
23. Mr. Giorgi Dartsimelia, Executive Director, Georgian Association of Guides
24. Mrs. Nata Kvachantiradze, Georgian Tourism Association
25. Mrs. Ia Tabagari, Georgian Incoming Tour Operators Association
26. Mr Zviad Diasamidze, Ajara Tourism Association
27. Mr. Dimitri Shashkin, Minister of Education
28. Mr. Vazha Shubladze, Tourism Expert
29. Mrs. Marina Metreveli, Tourism Expert, Parliament of Georgia
30. Mr. Teimuraz Khutsishvili, Caucasus University
31. Mr. Nikoloz Kvaratskhelia, Tourism Expert
32. Mr. Zviad Archuadze, Tbilisi City Hall
33. Mr. Archil Bakuradze, Business and Economic Centre, Parliament of Georgia
34. Mr. Nikoloz Manjgaladze, Tourism Expert
35. Mrs. Lela Khartishvili, Association ‘Elkana’
36. Representative, Georgian travel media (printed)
37. Representative, Georgian travel media (TV)
Turkey
38. Serif Yenen, President, Turkish Guides Association
39. Representative, Turkish Guides Association
40. Representative, Association of Turkish Travel Agents
41. Sinan Haliç, Association of Turkish Travel Agents
42. Representative, Artvin Tourism Authority
43. Representative, Kars Tourism Authority
44. Representative, Turkish Embassy in Georgia

WFTGA
45. Rosalind Newlands, President, WFTGA
46. Felicitas Wressnig, WFTGA

Donor community
47. Mr. Frank Tibitanzl, GTZ Private Sector Development in South Caucasus Programme
48. Mr. Giorgi Grdzelishvili, GTZ Private Sector Development in South Caucasus Programme
49. Mr. Ilgar Umudov, GTZ Private Sector Development in South Caucasus Programme
50. Mrs. Mriam Babayan, GTZ Private Sector Development in South Caucasus Programme
51. Mr. Georgi Arzumanyan, Executive Director, Regional Environmental Centre for Caucasus
52. Mr. Armen Shahbazyan, USAID Armenia
53. Mrs. Nino Kumsishvili, USAID Caucasus
54. Mr. Grant Morrill, USAID Caucasus
55. Representative, USAID Azerbaijan
56. Mr. Erik Eriksen, EC Delegation to Georgia
57. Mr. Giorgi Nanobashvili, UNDP Georgia
58. Mr. Sopho Gegechkori, US Embassy Tbilisi
59. Mr. Maia Todria, Trade and Economic Officer, Dutch Embassy Tbilisi
60. Representative, TICA
61. Representative, JICA

Special Guests
62. Mr. Saulius Jovaisas, Consultant, European Leadership Institute
63. Mr. Badri Nachkebia, Country Director, TV Company MIR
64. Mr. Alexander Sokolowsky, Representative in Georgia, PUM
65. Representative, Dutch travel media
66. Representative, International travel media

Interpreters
67. Mara Tsakadze, Interpreter – Russian-English
68. Valerian Amiranashvili, Interpreter – Russian-English

Secretariat
69. Teimuraz Khvedelidze, GAG Programme Manager
70. Lia Sharabidze, GAG Programme Officer
71. Natalie Barnabishvili, GAG Board Member
72. Zulfia Musaeva, GAG Programme Assistant