Although the International Tourist Guide Day is on Monday the 21st, PTTK (Polish Tourist and Sightseeing Society) of Wroclaw and some other cities are organizing events already this weekend. On the agenda are strolls through the city accompanied by lectures and discussions about the lives and struggles of tour guides.
The International Tourist Guide Day was introduced in 1990 by Titina Loizides, at the time the Head of the World Federation of Tourist Guide Associations. Its point is to promote local travel agencies and their work.
Today in Wrocław the theme was following the steps of notable Poles. At 10 A.M. the “[Józef] Wybicki in Wroclaw” tour started, guided by Anna Oryńska, and at 3 P.M. was the start of “Travels with Tadeusz [Różewicz]” led by Małgorzata Rzeszutek and Sebastian Bagiński.
Tomorrow, on Sunday, February 20th, there will be two more tours. AT 10 A.M. Damian Kanclerski will explain whether Solpol – a post-modernist store – is ugly or not in a tour called “Is Solpol Iffy? Few Words About Modern Architecture”. Later, at 3 P.M. Anna Adamska will guide a tour “An Insight to Crime and Punishment”. Despite the reference to the novel by Dostoyevsky, the tour won’t actually be about the book, but the criminals of Wroclaw, their trials and punishments.
Bydgoszcz also started celebrations this weekend with “Tours for 5zł.” Elblag stuck to the date of 21st and that is when they will offer free entries to the Market Gate. The visitors will be also able to explore the Knight’s Hall and go to the observation deck. Next weekend (Feb. 26th) in Dęblin there will be a pedestrian rally following the city history. International Tourist Guide Day is a great opportunity to look into local travel agencies and to celebrate their work.