A Skål Europe Academy session with WFTGA on training, standards, and new cooperation opportunities for Skål clubs and tourism professionals.
A conversation with Tito Livio Mongelli ahead of the next Skål Europe Academy session
On 25 March 2026 at 18:00 CET, the Skål Europe Academy will host an online session dedicated to the strategic role of tourist guides in responsible tourism. The session will feature Sarah Janning-Picker, Skål member and Area Representative of the World Federation of Tourist Guide Associations (WFTGA).
Ahead of the event, Skål Europe spoke with Tito Livio Mongelli, Director of the Skål Europe Academy and President of Skål Italia, to understand why this topic matters for Skål members and for the future of tourism.
SE: Tito Livio, why did the Skål Europe Academy decide to dedicate a session to tourist guides?
Tito Livio Mongelli: Tourist guides are often underestimated in the tourism ecosystem. Many people see them simply as professionals who accompany visitors or explain monuments. In reality, they play a much deeper role.
Guides are the people who connect visitors with the culture, history, and identity of a destination. They transform a visit into an experience and, when properly trained and regulated, they help visitors behave responsibly.
For Skål, which promotes responsible and ethical tourism, guides are therefore natural allies.
SE: In what way can guides contribute to more sustainable and regenerative tourism?
TLM: Sustainability is not only about infrastructure or regulations. It also depends on how visitors interact with places and communities.
Tourist guides are literally on the ground, accompanying visitors through historic centres, museums, and natural areas. Sarah tells us that because of this, they can actively help manage visitor flows and protect sensitive locations.
Sarah mentions good examples of this approach. In Toledo, Spain, for instance, regulated guiding helps distribute visitors across different parts of the city, reducing pressure on fragile heritage sites.
This is exactly where the concept of regenerative tourism becomes meaningful: tourism should not simply minimise its negative impact, but actively contribute to the well-being of destinations and communities. Professional guides are essential to that process.
SE: Your guest speaker will represent the World Federation of Tourist Guide Associations. Why is the WFTGA important for Skål members to know?
TLM: The WFTGA is the global organisation representing professional tourist guides. It promotes training, professional standards, and international cooperation.
During the session, Sarah Janning-Picker will explain the mission of the WFTGA, its work in supporting guides worldwide, and the importance of professional training standards such as the European training standard DIN EN 15565.
The federation also organises training programs across the world, often directly in museums or heritage sites, helping guides improve their professional skills and their role as interpreters of culture and heritage.
SE: What concrete value do professional guides bring to the tourism industry?
TLM: They bring several forms of value.
First, they are cultural ambassadors, representing the voice of local communities and helping visitors understand the destination authentically.
Second, they have a unique storytelling power. A well-trained guide can create an emotional connection between visitors and a place.
Third, they can play a crucial role in crisis communication. When unexpected situations occur, guides are often the first professionals responsible for managing groups and ensuring safety.
Finally, they are powerful allies for destination marketing. Visitors often remember their guide as the person who shaped their entire experience.
SE: How can Skål clubs collaborate more closely with tourist guides?
TLM: There are many possibilities.
Skål clubs could host joint training initiatives with WFTGA or local guide associations. This would strengthen professional development and encourage dialogue between different sectors of the tourism industry.
Clubs could also invite guides to join Skål, creating stronger local networks that include all key actors of the visitor experience.
Hotels, museums, and attractions benefit greatly from working with professional guides. It often leads to higher visitor satisfaction, fewer misunderstandings, and more repeat visits.
SE: What is the broader role of the Skål Europe Academy in these discussions?
TLM: The Academy was created to provide a platform where tourism professionals can share knowledge, exchange ideas, and explore innovative approaches to the future of tourism.
Tourism today faces major challenges such as overtourism, sustainability, and the need to regenerate destinations rather than simply exploit them.
By bringing together different actors of the tourism ecosystem — including professional guides — the Academy helps create new partnerships and new perspectives for the industry.
Join the Skål Europe Academy session
Date: 25 March 2026
Time: 18:00 CET
Platform: Zoom
The session will feature Sarah Janning-Picker, Area Representative of the World Federation of Tourist Guide Associations, and will be introduced by Tito Livio Mongelli, Director of the Skål Europe Academy.
The event will conclude with remarks from Paolo Bartolozzi, President of Skål Europe, followed by a Q&A session with participants.
Zoom link:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81173872436?pwd=baQ6uwUTJWAmEdBGgxgULLC9UtcQKJ.1
