Daijiworld Media Network - Goa (MR)
From ARES

Panaji, Aug 17: Next time, when you visit goa, you will have ample well informed  tourist guides who will give you accurate information about the place along with the historic perspective.

In an initiative, which is taken almost 14 years, the state tourism department has introduced nine week state level tourist guide training course in Panaji beginning from august 18.

“We are facing severe shortage of the tourist guides. The tourism season booming, this can also be a good employment opportunity for the youths,” state tourism director elvis Gomes stated.

The course will cover various topics on history of Goan hospitality, managerial and behavioural skills and other aspects related to the tourism, he said.

Goa tourism department has 60-odd registered tourist guides who operate in the state along with scores of unregistered, ill-informed tourist guides.

The state attracts 25 lakh tourists annually comprising of four lakh foreigners.

“The tourism industry suffers, if guides are not properly informed. They force the travelers to go back with the wrong image of the state. Half knowledge is always dangerous,” Lyndon Monteiro, officer on special duty to tourism ministry, stated.

He said that the industry was in need of well trained, well informed guides and hence the course is envisaged.

The guides during the programme will have practical training as well as site visits to the places of tourist interest, historical monuments, India tourist offices, airports, railways, bus stations, tourist information centres and other related government offices frequented by tourists amongst other places.