Previously, tourist guides completed application forms in hard copy or via email. The new online registration system provides them with the opportunity to register or create a profile, search the knowledge base of resources, give feedback, ask a question and chat with an agent.
With the re-opening of inter-provincial travel under level 2 lockdown, tourist guides play an important role in welcoming visitors and ensuring they have a great experience and keep coming back.
Western Cape finance and economic opportunities MEC David Maynier said the online registration is the first of its kind in South Africa. He said it was one of the many ways the province has been supporting tourist guides during the Covid-19 pandemic.
"To ensure that our tour guides were able to access the relief funding that national government made available to them, we collected and verified the details of an estimated 5 000 tourist guides, which were then submitted to the Department of Tourism to receive financial support.
"Our One Day tourism campaign, which was developed by Wesgro and launched to inspire future travellers during the Covid-19 lockdown restrictions, provided an opportunity for tourist guides to become virtual guides, using streaming services to conduct tours of our top experiences in the Western Cape. At the end of the virtual tour, viewers had the chance to show their appreciation to the tourist guides through Paypal or Snapscan," he said.
He said tourist guides can also schedule appointments to collect their tourist guide ID cards and badges from the Tourism Guide Registration Office at Waldorf Building at 80 St George’s Mall from this month.
"While the Office remains partially closed due to the Covid-19 restrictions, almost 200 tourist guide ID cards and badges are ready for collection. To collect, tourist guides must schedule an appointment with one of our staff members," he added.
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