The activity carried out by tourist information professionals in the Azores will be subject to regulation under the terms of a law proposal passed by the Council of the Government on Flores this week.
With this initiative, the Azorean Government intends to regulate an activity “that had been carried out by non-skilled professionals, by professionals without professional licence or with inadequate and outdated skills.”
According to Regional Secretary of the Presidency, when he presented the final outcome of the meeting of the Council of the Government, the recently approved law proposal establishes that “the exercise of professional tourist information is subject to the possession of a proficiency certificate to be awarded upon completion of a training course as well as of a professional licence issued by the governmental department that administers the area of Labour.”
Under the terms of this proposal for Regional Legislative Decree, “national and regional guide interpreters, in addition to visiting museums, palaces and national monuments, are authorised to accompany tourists to cities and places classified as World Heritage, natural and cultural Heritage classified as Monument Regional or Treasure or even public interest Heritage included in the regional register of cultural assets.”
Moreover, the Regional Decree also estimates the establishment of a temporary exceptional scheme allowing “all professionals who currently are not certified to do so, as long as they provide evidence of carrying out this activity on a continuous basis.”