Luanda – Two hundred and 30 tourist guides have been licensed by the National Directorate of Tourism Qualification and Licensing, since February 1st of this year, the period in which this process began.
Of this total, the province of Cuanza Sul has 71 licensed guides, followed by Luanda, with 47, Huíla (28), Zaire (18), Cunene (18), Namibe (11), Moxico (9), Benguela (5), Huambo, Lunda Norte and Bengo with three each, Cuando Cubango, Lunda Sul and Cabinda with two each, while Bié and Cuanza Norte licensed one tourist guide each, according to a note to which ANGOP had access today.
During the licensing process, which runs until March 1st, these guides will benefit from the attribution of a Personal Identification Number (NIP), free and facilitated access to national parks, museums, galleries and libraries, subsidies for training refreshment and updating, participation in international and local fairs, health insurance and legal personality, as well as their names and contacts will be included in the government tourism portal.
This phase, which includes the registration of tourist guides for the local, provincial, regional, national and international category, is being triggered by the need to regulate the exercise of this activity, since it is carried out without the authorization of the bodies competent.
At this stage, interpreter, cultural, safari, mountain, diving, surfing, cave or mirror-guide, urban, botanical, river, museum, dance, driver-guide and rappelling guides are being registered.
The registration and licensing of tourist agents aims to provide guides with legal and technical tools that link them with the regulatory entity, as well as ensuring their credibility among tourists.
According to the National Directorate of Tourism Qualification and Licensing, supervised by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Angola has a universe of 741 guides, including active and seasonal ones, with close to 36 tourist guides operating illegally in the country.
Given this scenario, the tourism sector defends the need to have accredited guides to satisfy the aspirations of those visiting the country and provide tourists with information about the geo-cultural and historical reality of Angola.
The tour guide is a liberal professional with a 'green check', as is the case with lawyers, real estate agents and other service providers, reinforces the document. SJ/QCB/DOJ
