History® Announces Partnership with not for Profit Global Tourist Guide Association

History® Announces Partnership with not for Profit Global Tourist Guide Association to Protect and Promote History and Culture in Tourism

HISTORY®, the leading global factual entertainment channel and part of A+E Networks® UK, has partnered with the World Federation of Tourist Guide Association (WFTGA) and the European Federation of Tourist Guide Associations (FEG) to promote their tourist guide members around the world and to shine a light on the role that history and heritage storytelling plays in tourism.

With a reach of over 72 million households and shown in 100 countries, HISTORY will provide the platform for the WFTGA and the FEG to further promote and protect tourist guides as well as ensure that qualified tourist guides are recognised as the true ambassadors of an area through dedicated content on its TV and online networks. HISTORY will be looking to form brand partnerships with tourism boards and destinations across UK and EMEA with potential for further reach across the globe.
 

Adrian Pilkington, SVP Commercial and Digital Strategy, A + E Networks UK commented:

“History is a key driver for tourism around the world and at A+E Networks UK, we have the platform to share stories with consumers to educate them on countries that offer it in abundance. Our viewers are passionate about understanding the history that shapes the places they are visiting and by partnering with the WFTGA and FEG we are able to inspire their travel choices. With authentic insight from local experts and tourist guides we can all tell the story of a destination’s heritage.”
 

Alushca Ritchie, President, WFTGA added:

“For over 30 years, we have been working with tourist guides globally to highlight the incredible work that they do for destination storytelling and to educate travellers on the rich heritage of a destination. Tourist guides play a vital role in the value chain that is tourism and often act as the gateway to sharing a destination’s story with holidaymakers. We look forward to bringing these ambassadors to the forefront of travellers’ minds as part of this partnership.”
 

Efi Kalampoukidou, President, FEG commented:

“This partnership is a great opportunity for us all to demonstrate to the world what we have been doing with our visitors as qualified tourist guides in our own countries: interpreting our heritage, history, sites, monuments museums, historical settlements and cultural routes to promote these destinations, in a unique collaboration along with the WFTGA, HISTORY and the tourism boards”.

A+E Networks® UK is keen to hear from tourism boards that are interested in branding partnerships to showcase their heritage tourism by featuring authentic personalities and stories that their tourist guides tell about the destinations’ history.

 For more information contact: Berry Liu, Head of Ad Sales at A+E Networks UK on
Berry.Liu@aenetworks.co.uk
 

For media information please contact the Brighter Group at historychannel@finnpartners.com or call +44 (0) 207 326 9880.

Notes to editors:

• About A+E Networks UK: A+E Networks® UK, a joint venture between Hearst and Sky, is a leading media network reaching over 72 million homes across 100 countries. With our portfolio of popular, high-performing and creative brands - HISTORY®, Crime+Investigation®, Lifetime®, HISTORY2® and UK free to air BLAZE® - we have entertained and inspired audiences for over 20 years; telling the stories that need to be told. Our award-winning factual and entertainment content includes global hit franchises like Forged in Fire and Born this Way, must see dramas Knightfall and Vikings as well as original local commissions including: Al Murray’s Why Does Everyone Hate the English and Murdertown with Katherine Kelly (UK), Married at First Sight (Africa) and The Hunt for Baltic Gold (Poland).  We complement our programming with innovative talent-led exclusive digital content and top rated podcasts. We currently partner with over 360 operators broadcasting throughout the Nordics, Benelux, Central Europe, the Middle East and Africa. We have offices in London, Warsaw, and Johannesburg.
• About the World Federation of Tourist Guide Associations (WFTGA): WFTGA came into being as a result of proposals put forward at the first International Convention of Tourist Guides, in February 1985. At each international convention the WFTGA grew and today the organisation has members from more than 106 countries, representing well over 250,000 individual tourist guides across the globe. WFTGA has established an international network of professional tourist guides and today is the only global forum for tourist guides and their Associations, and continues to grow with the changes of this industry.WFTGA is a not for profit, non-political organisation which groups together, around the world, tourist guide associations; individual tourist guides where no association exists; tourism partners of both the WFTGA and member associations; educational institutes in tourism for tourist guides; convention and visitors bureau and affiliate members who have direct or indirect association with tourist guides.
• About the European Federation of Tourist Guide Associations (FEG): Our members are the professional, qualified tourist guides in Europe. They are committed to quality and standards and add value to the visitor experience. Using key techniques that combine knowledge and practical skills, they help bring alive each location and are often described as 'ambassadors' for their country. FEG was founded in 1986 in Paris as a non-profit, non-political organisation to represent the profession at European level, to publicise and improve the quality of service offered to all visitors to Europe and to bring together and strengthen professional tourist guiding links across Europe.FEG members are the tourist guide associations or federations of each European country. FEG currently represents 28 member-organisations in 28 different countries with around 80.000 tourist guides in total.FEG is a member of CEN, Europa Nostra, CEPLIS, World Travel Market and is in partnership with the WFTGA, the European Tourism Manifesto Group - representing 52 tourism stakeholders of European level, the European Network for Accessible Tourism, the World Food Travel Association and the Live Private Guided Tours company.