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The STGA Executive Board adopted the standard on March 19, 2009. The standard was confirmed after 10 years in 2018 and the STGA, represented by Ros Newlands informed the other UK Associations and FEG to remind them to ensure that their own standardising bodies voted for the confirmation. ‘Establishing this standard was challenging as there were huge variations in the length of courses and their content throughout Europe,’ said Ros. In Scotland and the rest of the UK, training took around 1200 hours and included a great deal of practical training, whereas in Greece it was 3000 hours with little practical training and in Austria it was 500 hours. Eventually, a compromise was reached of 600 hours of which at least 40 per cent must be practical training. The Scottish Blue Badge and Green Badge courses comply with the standard.’ Much of the actual wording of the standard was written by Ros and Tom as mother tongue English speakers also assisted by the fact that Tom was trained as a lawyer. The WFTGA also adopted the standard in 2007 even though it only applies to Europe.
Ros was elected to the Executive Board in 2005 and appointed Vice President.
A new Regional Training Centre was set up in Cyprus with the first course taking place from 24 June to 4 July 2005. Shortly thereafter the centre was raised to International Training Centre and Viola Lewis (nee Lier) attended the first WFTGA Train the Trainer Course in January 2006. She went on to become the STGA Training Manager, the FEG Training Convener and Head of the WFTGA Training Division. Since then the WFTGA has offered Hands On Tourist Guiding (HOT) and Train the Trainer Courses in two International Training Centres in Cyprus and Armenia and also offers training around the world. This has been particularly effective in countries where tourism is still developing in Asia, Eastern Europe, Oceania and South America. In addition, the WFTGA offers specialised courses for tourist guides working in the cruise industry and on the Silk Road. Most training is funded with the support of national and international tourism bodies and governments.
In 2007 Ros was elected President and served for six years until 2013, being awarded an OBE in 2010 for Services to Tourism. This role also enhanced the reputation of the STGA as a leader in tourist guide professionalism and many governments and authorities wished to emulate the Scottish Blue Badge training system. Even Prince Charles said: ‘I think you guides are really important” as he pinned on Ros’s medal!’
Scottish BBG Pat Blain was co-opted in 2008 onto the WFTGA Board of Directors. Two years earlier Viola Lewis (nee Lier), then a STGA Board Member, had attended the WFTGA Train the Trainer Course and had become the first new National WFTGA Trainer in Scotland after Iris
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