WFTGA Training Center
     »

WFTGA International Training Centre Yerevan Armenia

World Federation of Tourist Guide Associations (WFTGA) is a federation of professional tourist guides' associations, which has more than 80 member countries. The Armenian Guides' Guild (AGG) has been a member of WFTGA since 2006. WFTGA has worked out a training program for tourist guides the aim of which is to spread the standards of tourist guiding in all over the world and raise the professionalism of tourist guides. That is why WFTGA has opened international training centers for training courses.

In 2014, in the framework of the collaboration among WFTGA, AGG and YSU, a WFTGA International Training Center was established in Armenia as well, where every year training courses for tourist guides are held.
To realize the program from the very beginning the RA Ministry of Economics has shown its assistance. There have been 5 training courses in the training center: December, 2014; March, 2015; March-April, 2016; November-December, 2017 and November, 2018. The participants of the training courses were from Iran, Kazakhstan, Bahrain, Thailand, Uzbekistan and Armenia.

There are 3 phases of the trainings:
1. Hands on Tourist Guide (HOT)
2. Train the Trainer (TtT)
3. International Train the Trainer (ITtT)

HOT training course aims at training the tourist guides as a result of which they get professional skills. The duration of the training course is 7 days. Both the new and experienced tourist guides can take part in the course in order to get the qualification. After finishing the course, the participants receive certificates from WFTGA and YSU (Yerevan State University).

The goal of TtT training course is the preparation of national trainers. Only those who have the qualification of HOT have the right to take part in TtT training course. The national trainers receive the right to hold WFTGA HOT training courses in their countries. The training lasts for 5 days.

As a result of ITtT training course the participants get the qualification of International Trainers. This qualification allows them to hold WFTGA HOT and TtT courses in foreign countries. This stage of the training course is realized parallel with HOT and TtT trianing courses. The training lasts for 12 days.

To hold the training course, Lead Trainers are invited from other countries to Armenia. Lead Trainers and International Trainers as well as lecturers from Yerevan State University, National Trainers, the administrator of the Training Center and other AGG members take part in the process of the training course.



http://wftga.org/node/731
/123_SITE/123_images/wftga_training_center.1-0.any.18118753_1505134606228191_5711998802268860526_n.jpg

The HOT training course, 2014

The first HOT training course was held right after the inauguration of the WFTGA International Training Center, Yerevan, in December 11-18. The participants of the course were tourist guides from Yerevan and the regions of Armenia. For holding the training, the international training center was funded by the Ministry of Economy of the RA and GIZ program. The trainer was Lead Trainer Ivana Kuruvija from Serbia as well as international trainers Naira Sukiasyan and Rita Navoyan.

Participants:
1. Armine Yengoyan
2. Artush Davtyan
3. Inga Sargsyan
4. Robert Matevosyan
5. Arpine Avetisyan
6. Hakob Markosyan
7. Lusine Manukyan
8. Karine Hakobyan
9. Narine Sahakyan
10. Mihran Simonyan

TtT Training Course, 2015

There was held a TtT training course in 13-17 of March, 2015. 6 tourist guides from Iran and 4 tourist guides from Armenia took part in the training.
The trainer was the Lead Trainer Mery Kemp Clerk from Scotland.

Participants:
1. Seyedmohsen Hajisaeid, Iran
2. Seyedehmahsa Motahar, Iran
3. Pegah Latifi, Iran
4. Ashkan Boruj, Iran
5. Shirin Dolatkhah, Iran
6. Ms Maryam Hesaraki, Iran
7. Robert Matevosyan, Armenia
8. Inga Sargsyan, Armenia
9. Armine Yengoyan, Armenia
10. Artush Davtyan, Armenia

HOT and TtT March-April, 2016

In 2016 there were held two training courses in the WFTGA International Training Centre, Yerevan: HOT (March 31-April 6) and TtT (April 8-12).
The trainer was the Lead Trainer Mery Kemp Clerk from Scotland. Her assistant was the national trainer Piruza Nazaryan.

Participants:
HOT
1. Ali Mohd Al.Ansari, Bahrain
2. Anastasia Detkina, Kazakhstan
3. Soinapa Pankong, Thailand
4. Uthumporn Kumsaard, Thailand
5. Hayk Melkonyan, Armenia

TtT
1. Anastasia Detkina, Kazakhstan
2. Soinapa Pankong, Thailand
3. Uthumporn Kumsaard, Thailand
4. Hayk Melkonyan, Armenia
5. Banafsheh Farahani, Iran
6. Farzaneh Haghighat, Iran
7. Hanieh Bagherzadeh, Iran
8. Hanieh Rabiei, Iran
9. Kairne Hakobyan, Armenia
10. Mahdieh (Madi) Jahangir Bolourchian, Iran
11. Maryam (Afarin) Rezasefat Balasbaneh, Iran
12. Pezhman Azizi Sohrofirouzani, Iran
13. Rahmatollah (Ramin) Zabihmand, Iran

HOT and TtT training courses, November-December, 2017

In WFTGA International Training Centre, Yerevan, HOT (November 23-30) and TtT (December 1-5) courses were held in Russian by the Lead Trainer Gennadiy Chudnovets from Ukraine. He was assisted by the International Trainer Naira Sukiasyan. The participants were tourist guides from Armenia and Uzbekistan.

HOT participants:
1. Vadim Levin, Uzbekistan
2. Irena Shaboyan, Armenia
3. Eleonora Khudaverdyan, Armenia
4. Lia Bakhshinyan, Armenia
5. Liana Avetyan, Armenia
6. Hasmik Gevorgyan, Armenia
7. Armine Avetisyan, Armenia
8. Davit Hasratyan, Armenia
9. Arshak Mkrtchyan, Armenia

TtT participants:
1. Vadim Levin, Uzbekistan
2. Eleonora Khudaverdyan, Armenia
3. Lia Bakhshinyan, Armenia
4. Hasmik Gevorgyan, Armenia
5. Narine Sahakyan, Armenia
6. Arpine Avetisyan, Armenia
7. Boris Alaverdyan, Armenia