He earned the distinction of being the first Vice President of Tourist
Guide Federation(TGFI) of India. He helped creating a niche for
his Federation where none existed and he has got a thing 'going on'
and much too strong to let go…An insight into President-TGFI,
Mr Ashok Sharda's thinking and future plans!

 

 

Mr Sharda, graduated from prestigious Ramjas college, Delhi University and joined Dip. in Business Administration. He started his career as guide in 1984 and has been the General Secretary of Delhi Guides association for 8 years. Presently, he is President of both - Tourist Guides Association-Delhi and Tourist Guide Federation of India.

Tourist Guide Federation of India, formed in 1994 with efforts of Mr Ashok Pahwa - Director General of Tourism, GOI, is the apex body of all associations of guides catering to major 15 destinations in India to have a common platform for the for the welfare of guides, and make their working better in the interest of tourists.

Today, everywhere we find touts instead of trained guides. How do they come up?
Touts are like weeds. Wherever you have crops, you get weeds. Basically the powerful bodies like tour operators and shopkeepers promote touts for extra benefit. In smaller sectors where there are not enough tourists, in absence of trained guides, touts are promoted. Slowly touts get well conversed with the profession and they don't want to leave the trade.
What are the initiatives taken by Federation to keep a check on them?
Touts are prevented by act of 1958, archeological survey of India and they are not allowed to step inside the monuments but they collaborate with people and they are not prevented as they provide them extra monetary help. We tried to tackle the problem through court but touts took stay from the court that they should not be prevented from working till the case is decided and tried to prolong the case. Touts work for very low amount of money and exploit the tourists making our people lose business.

What are the qualifications - education, language, mannerism-required for a guide? How are the guides trained? Who keeps a check on them?

Guides are trained by Ministry of Tourism for different sectors and are appointed by the GOI from the five regionsDelhi, Chennai, Bombay, Calcutta and North Eastern region. Minimum qualification to become a guide is a graduation with knowledge of history. Preference to foreign language is given.
Recently in 2007, GOI with new guidelines, has decided that all the training courses would be held by Indian Institute of Travel Management. They conducted some interviews but there are many strong allegations that people paid money to become the guides. We have always demanded that if travel agents are taken in the board, there should be a member of Guides Federation also. Mr Talwar, additional director General had agreed during the Goa Convention in the presence of Secretary Tourism but it has not been implemented.

With changing tourism scenario, tourism becoming major industry, what new changes and problems do you envisage at your level?

We have been in touch with MOT to promote the segment covering small destinations. We see our part increasing with increase in tourism. Government should come up with more smart packages for connecting small places and special rate plans so that the people spend more. Trained Guides are the educated persons that come directly in contact with tourists and are well versed with practical requirement and problems of the tourists.
Please specify Federation's associations with IATO and other major tourists associations.

Presently TGFI is closely associated with IATO. Overcoming earlier problems,our talks with Mr Subhash Goel, President-IATO, resulted in realization of our problems and after several meetings we presented joint memorandum to Director General Tourism. Ever since, we have good rapport with IATO and we are part of their conventions and vice versa. We have got several awards from SITA and IATO to acknowledge our cooperation and importance. Our interests are interlinked and so we should all work together.

India becoming major tourist destination, how do you deal with foreign tourists?

We have always realized that the guides should be well versed with few foreign languages. Korean, Japanese and Chinese are in demand but guides outside Delhi have little knowledge about the languages. In Patna, there is big demand for Bhuddhist sector but there is no trained guide knowing the language. Those selected for Patna get their transfer to Delhi or other metro cities and vacuum gets created which is filled up with touts and hawkers. So my request with MOT is that they should select the guides from local stations and let them work there.

Please specify your role to strengthen the Federation? Please also tell us your future plans to bring the federation in the forward position.

Earlier guides were not respected in the industry but with changing times, things are also changing. We had worked for the objectives that guides should get their due respects. Now TGF is being recognized and respected by every sector of the trade. Our other endeavor was that we spend maximum time with the tourist, but there was no award for the guides in national tourism awards. We worked for this and since last two years, the award has been instituted.
Our present endeavor is that guides should also get income tax rebate like the hotelier, transporters and travel agents, in the foreign currency that they get from travelers. We are also trying to upgrade ourselves with some refresher courses, conducted from time to time. We are also contemplating that there should also be special training for IT industry as lots of tourists are coming as business tourists for IT and guides with IT knowledge would have an upper edge.

What is your role for adventure tourism?

Adventure tourism is basically confined to northern India and northeast. Ministry of tourism does not have any special guides for it as it is for few months only. Private tour operators handle most of the events only. We do have younger people in our association who could be specially trained for it. I am sure given opportunity we could handle the things.