Association of Professional Tourist Guides

Chairman's Report for APTG AGM 2004

2003 was, at best, a mixed year. Tourism numbers started down because of the threat of war and international terrorism. Then there were the travel cancellations because of the SARS outbreak. After that, things slowly improved, and there was work for many guides during the summer. But a new problem has now arisen - the strength of the pound against the dollar and the euro. All of this highlights the fact that APTG must market to visitors from around the world, including the domestic market. We cannot afford to be so dependent on the American and European markets.

With that in mind, we have this year concentrated hard on marketing the Blue Badge and APTG members. We have continued to participate in many travel and trade shows. We have expanded our external contacts database. We have created a new website as a marketing tool, which includes a guide search and booking capacity.

More specifically, in January, APTG had a stand at Excursions, which is a trade show mainly concerned with the domestic market. In March, we shared a stand with Tour Guides at the British Travel Trade Fair in Birmingham. This show is aimed at the Incoming market. In November, APTG and the Guild shared a stand at the World Travel Market. It is the largest travel show and has buyers from around the world. Our stand was in the Visit London area, which was a bonus, as visitors sought out that stand for information about London. We launched our new Blue Badge leaflet, which was well received, and used the two new screens, which you see displayed here. All in all, we increased our visibility and made many new contacts.

We plan to attend the same shows again in 2004 and Excursions has already taken place, last Saturday. Many thanks to Brian Harlock and his team, who have organised our presence at these trade shows during the past year.

Our own Travel Trade Reception was held in March on board City Cruises, R.S. Hispaniola. It was well attended with about 90 tour operators and sites represented. The guest of honour was the Rt. Hon. Kim Howells, Minister for Tourism. Soon after, there was a government reshuffle, so in September, APTG introduced itself and Blue Badge guides to the new Minister for Tourism, the Rt. Hon. Richard Caborn, by taking him for a guided walk around Whitehall.

As previously mentioned, one goal has been to update and expand our External Contacts database. When I took over last January, it contained 650 contacts. It is now almost double at 1,250 and includes all Visit Britain offices and British Embassies around the world.

Also, the improvements to the new APTG website are an important part of our marketing efforts. Alan Cross will be here this afternoon, and he can tell us more about this.

Tour Guides were again awarded the contract for the Parliament 'Line of Route' tours. These tours have proved popular during the summer recess, with another increase in visitor numbers. Many thanks to them for all their hard work in keeping Blue Badge guides in Parliament.

You will be aware from Guidelines that the royal family got more involved in tourism in 2003. This resulted in my lunching at Windsor Castle with Prince Charles in April, and in June a group of us met the Queen and Prince Philip, when she renamed the Britain and London Visitor Centre on Lower Regent Street. The culmination of royal involvement was the New Year's Honours list, with the Queen awarding Fiona Grant and Tom Hooper an MBE for services to tourism. Congratulations to them both.

Nowadays, APTG is frequently consulted on various tourism issues by local government, sites and other organisations. We attend meetings so that we can improve our visibility, make contacts and lobby on behalf of guides. We are members of and attend meetings of FEG (the Federation of European Tourist Guides Associations), WFTGA (the World Federation of Tourist Guides Associations), the Tourism Network and the Coach Council (part of Transport for London). Our voice is starting to be heard.

There were a few problems with staffing the APTG office early in the year. Branch Councillors themselves had to run the office for over three months, but by mid-August, Anna Simpson had become our office administrator. (You will have a chance to meet her later when she joins us for lunch). She has settled in well and now manages to sort out many problems before I even know they exist. It is wonderful to have an efficient office. My thanks to Anna.

At the end of August Amicus London Region, of which we are part, moved from Bermondsey Street to Moreland Street. This caused some confusion because for a few months we had to operate from two different locations. We now have two rooms, side-by-side on the 3rd floor, plus Anna works in the Amicus London Region open-plan office on the 1st floor. Now that we have the new space, we will be able to have an APTG reference library. Daniella Kochavi has volunteered to sort out the books we already own, plus we will be receiving a donation of more books and slides from Patricia Waldock (a former lecturer on London history).

Remember, all of the work that we do depends partly on your subscriptions, augmented by hundreds of volunteer hours and by money raising activities. I would like to acknowledge those who have made APTG's accomplishments possible.

My thanks especially go to Nicola Watts who has almost single handedly produced the Register of Members two years running. Last year, she was able to incorporate more information on each page, put in page numbers (which we had been told was impossible) and slim the whole volume down. This year she has even managed to get an email address under each individual entry (which we were also told was impossible). Nicola has worked out the mysterious APTG computer systems and even managed to teach some of us about them. We are running a much smoother office because of this.

Incidentally, the draft Register of Members has been printed off for the AGM. Before you leave, please check your actual entry and sign it, if it is correct. There are two copies of APTG members, plus one containing driver-guides. This Register will be printed in time to take to the British Travel Trade Fair in March.

On behalf of all members, I would like to thank: Eddie Lerner for Guidelines; Liz du Parcq and her team for the monthly diaries; Steph Tickner for the monthly mailings; Eileen Cox for inserts in the mailings; Karen Sharpe and her team for the winter Education and Training programme; Karen Eastland for Whitehall College; Jane Henson for the Travel Trade Reception; Owen Joseph for the 100 Club; Sarah Reynolds for the new guide's reception (our recruitment numbers are up); Pat Tapsell and the Carol Service committee; Sue Mason and her team for the Tourist Guide's Directory and all our site liaison officers. Eileen, Brian, and both Karens do valuable jobs, which has generated revenue, placing APTG in a better financial position.

Also, on behalf of all members, I would like to thank the members of Branch Council, who have worked so hard on your behalf and given me much support and encouragement throughout the year. We have worked effectively together as a team, with each person concentrating on different issues. Please support those members of Branch Council who are willing to stand again for another year.

Finally, I would like to thank all of you for coming to this AGM and for your continued support for APTG.

Things are looking positive for APTG in 2004.

Thank you.

Robina Brown, January 2004

APTG Chairman's Report 2002/3
APTG Chairman's Report 2001/2
Annual report 2000
Annual report 1998