Tourist Guide Qualification Update

Tourist Guide Qualification Update

Current Tourist Guide qualifications are expiring.

All current guide qualifications listed on SAQA and CATHSSETA were discontinued and expired on the 30th of June 2023.

The last date for new enrolments onto these qualifications is 30 June 2024.

All students have until 30 June 2027 to achieve these qualifications (so long as they enrolled before 30 June 2024).

Request for current qualifications not yet accepted as "historical qualifications".

Together with FGASA and the NFTGA, we requested that all current qualifications, including the Generic Adventure Site Guide skills programme, be accepted as historical qualifications so that guides who currently hold these qualifications can use them to re-register or register with their local registrar as a guide going forward.

This request has been escalated however, as of today, no news on a decision has yet been given.

Phase one: Mapping Sessions

The National Department of Tourism (NDT) hosted four mapping sessions together with CATHSSETA and industry representatives where the potential new qualifications were discussed and ideals were mapped out.

This was done for the "Nature Guide Qualification", the "Culture Guide Qualification", and the "Adventure Guide Qualification". The facilitator is to write a report on each session.

The final mapping session to wrap things up on all three qualifications was held on 1 - 3 August 2023 at the Tourism House in Gauteng.

Because of the informal nature of these discussions, a lot of informal talking and brainstorming happens, so we need to wait for the final report before we can give comments from the sector via our various representative structures.

Phase two: Qualification Development Process

The formal QCTO qualification development process will be done with CATHSSETA who will be responsible for appointing a facilitator to develop the formal occupational certificates, part qualifications, or skills programmes. This process is consultive in nature and the industry will be invited to make inputs.

The South African Adventure Industry Association strives to make sure that Adventure Tourist Guides are represented alongside their specialisations and that the workplace is adequately represented as well to ensure a realistic approach to these qualifications are taken. We pride ourselves in transparent and thruthful communication alongside our collaborative nature and relationships with other industry-driven associations, private and public sectors included.