A top official of the Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) has encouraged professional tour guides to do their share in helping achieve the vision of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to make the country a top tourist destination in Asia.

TPB Chief Operating Officer Maria Margarita Nograles said a tour guide leaves a lasting impression on tourists and affects their decision to return.

“Our tour guides are among the most essential tourism stakeholder. They are not just holding the key to our destinations, they are the storytellers, the cultural ambassadors who breathe life to each landmark, story and tradition,” Nograles said in an interview Friday.

Nograles attended the three-day 11th National Tour Guides Convention and General Assembly, alongside the 2nd Philippine National Tour Guides Conference, at the Summit Hotel here that concluded Thursday.

“By sharing their unique insight and passion to tourists, they leave indelible marks on the heart and mind of those they encounter, shaping memories that last a lifetime,” Nograles added.

President Marcos previously said the government is eyeing a 10-fold increase in tourist arrivals to become Asia’s tourism frontrunner.

A total of 198 tour guides who are members of 18 associations all over the country joined the national convention and general assembly anchored on the theme “Philippine Tour Guide Keeper of Culture, Heritage and Biodiversity.”

Among the attendees was Suzette Garcia, 61, a regional tour guide from the National Capital Region.

“We have a lot to tell based on real experiences and not just based on what are found or read in books and online. This makes storytelling more authentic,” she said.

Garcia, a former community guide in Biliran province, said age is not a problem if an individual has the heart to help the tourism sector. (PNA)