ASSOCIATION OF HISTORY, NATURE AND CULTURE TOUR GUIDES - NIGERIA (AHNACTOURGUIDES)
PROFILE
ABOUT AHNACTOURGUIDES
The Association of History, Nature And Culture Tour Guides - Nigeria, represents the body of proffessional tourist guides who have engaged themselves in guiding visitors (both local and international) who visit Nigeria with the aim of gathering knowledge and understanding of the people, history, nature, culture and special interest. The association's members are trained professionals.
BACKGROUND
Our esteemed association evolved through the encouragement of the COAST PROJECT (The project involved nine African countries) organized by UNIDO, UNEP, UNWTO, in collaboration with Lagos State Government Ministry of Tourism and Inter-governmental Relations and the Lagos State Ministry of Environment, 2009-2014. The Lagos State Ministry of Tourism and Inter-governmental Relations in conjunction with UNIDO, COAST PROJECT, UNEP, UNWTO, GEF, in October 2012, organized the first comprehensive training in “Best Practices On Tour Guiding”. After the training Amb. Anago-Osho began to train other tour guides and encouraged dedicated and qualified tourist guides who are involved in the profession of guiding and teaching the visitors in Nigeria to form an organization with the purpose of safeguarding and protecting their interest. As the group began to meet and subsequent endeavors taken up by them eventually created a road map to the establishment of the association.
The journey to form an association by the group was further inspired by West Africa Tour Guide Association (WATGA), which accepted the group into the regional body in 2017 and the name West Africa Tour Guide Association Nigeria Chapter (WATGA NIGERIA CHAPTER) was adopted. However, it became important for the Association to have it’s own registered name in Nigeria that will represent the tourist guide profession and national tourism interest. The organization became known as National Guild of Nigeria Tour Guides. The name was not registered because members cast about for a name that will represent and promote different types of tour guiding. Therefore, the name Association Of History, Nature, And Culture Tour Guides - Nigeria (AHNACTOURGUIDES) was agreed upon and adopted by WATGA NIGERIA CHAPTER members.
Tbe association was officially registered with the Federal Republic of Nigeria and received a certificate of Incorporation, by the Registrar - General of Corporate Affairs Commission dated 15th of February, 2022 with Registration Number 173965. The motto of the Association is “Go beyond Imagination”. This is a testimonial of the objective and efficient nature of members in promoting the attraction or tourist destination they promote. The tourist guide’s roles as ambassadors are key to how local or international visitors and tourists see the country.
The board members are:
BOARD
1, James Akeem Anago-Osho (Chairman)
2, Paul Ukpabio (Secretary)
3, Deborah Njoku
4, Olaide Osoba
DEFINITION
A tourist guide is a person who guides visitors in the language of their choice and interprets the cultural and natural heritage of an area.
The Association of History, Nature And Culture Tour Guides shall remain a non-governmental professional organization dedicated to the gpromotion of the highest international standards, ethics and professionalism in tour guiding and its ancillary services in Nigeria. The official languages of the Association is English. All other languages used in all forms of communication including local African languages shall first be translated into English before presentation to the Association. The Association shall be neutral and not affiliated to any religious, political or racial institutions or movements or leanings whatsoever. The Association shall operate within the laws of Nigeria.
PROGRAMS
The “Association of History, Nature And Culture Tour Guides - Nigeria (AHNACTOURGUIDES)” has among its most important yearly programs, the celebration of ‘’International Tour Guides Day’'. The first ever International Tour Guides Day in Nigeria was celebrated in Lagos by West Africa Tour Guides Association - Nigeria Chapter (WATGA-NIGERIA CHAPTER ) on the 21st of February 2017, and the support by members and tourism practitioners from across Nigeria was encouraging. It was notably attended by tour guides from Badagry, Epe, Abeokuta, Lagos Island, Lekki, Ilorin, Cotonou (Benin Republic), Benin City, Osogbo, Akwa Ibom, Ibadan, Lokoja, Jos, Abuja etc. The association have been consistent in the celebration of the annual event.
The Association of History, Nature And Culture Tour Guides - Nigeria (AHNACTOURGUIDES), have been organizing tour guide trainings and workshops to help communities rediscover their tourism potentials and how to promote them through the roles of tour guides. Our instructors have trained tour guides in communities (such as Epe, Badagry, Ilorin, Oyo, Lagos Island, Cotonou (Benin Republic), Ilashe, Bonny, Ikeja, Lekki, Akoka, Ibadan, Abeokuta etc.), private individuals, tourism skill acquisition programs by NGO’s, tour companies and aviation schools.
AHNACTOURGUIDES is represented in the Standard Organization of Nigeria (SON) committee as National Mirror/Technical Committee Member on Tourism and Tourism related Matter.
The Association believes in collaboration for sustainability and still maintains its relationship with West Africa Tour Guides Association (WATGA) and still represents WATGA NIGERIA CHAPTER in the West African subregion. The role of the Federation of Tourism Associations of Nigeria (FTAN) is appreciated. AHNACTOURGUIDES is open to partnership for member development and contribution to sustainable tourism development.
OBJECTIVES OF AHNACTOURGUIDES
To represent the interests of all professional tour guides i.e. persons who provide tour guiding service as their main source of income in Nigeria.
To open branches and also accept existing registered professional tour guides association in Nigeria for effective support and protection of their interests.
To support the development of the tourism industry in Nigeria by offering advice and tourismy support services to all Nigerian states.
To establish and maintain excellent relationship with the various service providers in the tourism industry globally.
To lead the research of trends in the tourism industry and publish such results for the benefit of all members and tourism professionals in Nigeria.
To market the exotic tourist destinations in Nigeria to the rest of the world and ensure the increment of tourist arrival figures to Nigeria.To enhance progress and improvement of the tourism industry practice in Nigeria by the provision of training to upgrade the skills of tour guides and other
industry professionals.
To hold conventions of professional tourist guides in Nigeria once every two years.
AHNACTOURGUIDES AS AN ORGANIZATION
Association Of History, Nature And Culture Tour Guide's supreme organizational set-up is the assembly of all the registered bona fide members which is called The General Body. The general meeting of this body takes place every year to decide on the policy matters including election and other subjective issues. The general body reserves the right to nominate 11 members team, through the election procedure, as being the official functioning Executive Committee of AHNACTOURGUIDES, which will be comprised of a President, two first and second Vice Presidents, General Secretary, Secretary, Treasurer and four members with the Past President becoming inevitably as one of the members too. The term of office for the Executive Committee, in accordance to the charter, will be for three years.
Connect Us:
Association Of History, Nature And Culture Tour Guides - Nigeria (AHNACTOURGUIDES)
13, Catholic Mission Street, Lagos Island
125, Marina Road, Badagry, Lagos
P.O.BOX 152, Badagry Post Office, Lagos, Nigeria
Email: AHNACTOURGUIDES Nigeria@gmail.com
08037043233