The forum was co-organized under the goal to discuss social insurance fees, labor law and regulation, liability insurance, the standard classification of tour guides in Mongolia by Mongolian Professional Tour Guides Association (MPTGA), Ministry of Environment and Tourism and Travel Hub Mongolia. It was fruitful for Mongolian tour guides indeed and encompassed delegates from private, public sectors and individual tour guides.
This year’s forum was the second one to be co-organized and they started organizing this event from last year. During the first held forum, they discussed workplace safety issues, social insurance and started to deliver their voice of tour guides to government officials. Also, they said that they found out all the issues and problems they are facing are owing to the lack of information they get.
Wellspring Voyage was one of the delegates from the private sector as myself attended the event. From my point of view, the organizing committee heard the voices of Mongolian tour guides well and fully reported all the work that they have done from the first forum until this year’s event due to the fact that they well reflected the contents, results and issues from last year.
More specifically, there were delegates from the Ministry of Environment and Tourism reported about ongoing project to set up standards of professional tour guides in Mongolia, Occupational safety and health (OHS) expert explained tour guides’ safety and health issues during trip, lawyer and partner from “Mahoney Liotta” law firm gave an explanation of employment contract issues we face, and specialist from General Department of Social Insurance shared insurance regulations and information which belong to human resources in the tourism sector. Moreover, a presentation about insurance and survey results taken from tour guides of Mongolia were presented.
Last but not least, there was a discussion among participants about problems and issues tour guides face after the presentation session in order to deliver the issues and its solutions to government officials who are in charge of it. As a result of discussion, we came up with solutions for tour guides’ standard classification, social insurance and tour liability insurance issues.
We are truly looking forward to the annual tour guides’ forum which will be held next year!
(Tuna sandwich given during the lunch was delicious though! ^^)
Magsarjav Bolor 2019.12.01