Although the number of foreign visitors to Japan has increased remarkably in recent years, many licensed guides have not been usefully employed.
One of the main reasons for this is that there is a problem with the system of producing new work-ready guides in Japan.
Currently, the Japanese government only conducts the national examination, and informs successful applicants of a file of associations of licensed guides, which offer several days of basic training to a very limited number of new guides.
Most new guides have no chance to take practical training to become a professional guide, and travel companies do not employ them.
After examining guide systems in 54 countries and regions, I found that the following points are essential to a system which produces new work-ready guides:
(1) A system which issues a license after several years of training, following a final examination
(2) A license renewal system to secure the quality of a guide
A system with these elements must be employed immediately in Japan in order to increase the number of a high-quality qualified guides, and to meet the strong demand from the inbound tourism industry.
