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Al-Ahram Weekly 6 - 12 May 1999 Issue No. 428 
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Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Al-Ahram Weekly 6 - 12 May 1999 Issue No. 428
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| Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Egypt Region International Economy Opinion Culture Profile Features Special Focus Travel Living Sports People Time Out Chronicles Cartoons Letters To speak or not to speak
By Eman Abdel-Moeti
Rasha Abdel-Razik, an English-speaking tour guide, decided to give her American group a break after a three-hour tour in the Egyptian Museum. She was relaxing in the forecourt garden when she heard angry voices. She looked up to see two security guards ordering another guide who was accompanying a group of Japanese tourists to produce his licence. The startled young man quickly showed it only to be told by Tharwat Hassanein, head of the Tour Guides' Syndicate, "You are fined thirty pounds for escorting a Japanese group while carrying a French-language licence." His licence was confiscated. He was told, "A member of your group will act as tour guide in your place."
A lot of noise is being made about the "silent guides" problem at historical and tourism attractions throughout Egypt
Humiliated and embarrassed, the tour guide apologised to the group. The man turned out to be a 'silent guide'.
As Rasha watched the unfortunate episode she wondered how long it would be before she too might be forced to become a 'silent guide' just to survive these hard financial times.
A 'silent guide' is a professional Egyptian guide who has agreed to escort a group of foreign tourists. But rather than explain the sights to the tourists, the guide remains silent. Instead, a foreign guide working illegally leads the group, which is invariably from the same country as he. These foreign guides are usually expatriates living in Egypt. They have struck a deal with tourist companies to allow them to work part-time for tour groups from their own native lands.
This is an attractive proposition for tour agencies. And although it is against the law, some tour operators have discovered a way to get around the illegalities -- the use of a 'silent guide'. The guide follows the group and does little, except if the police come onto the scene. If an official seeks out the group's "official" guide, the silent Egyptian will step forward and produce the necessary licence.
After the Luxor incident in November 1997, Egypt's tourism industry faced its worst setback ever. Some 5,000 Egyptian guides were jobless. Those who had other professions (and had only become guides on a part-time basis) returned to their old jobs.
But it was the guides who were registered with the Tour Guides' Syndicate (all of them graduates from tourism schools with no other work skills) who were hit the hardest. Some even had to sell their very own furniture to make ends meet. Older guides in poor health borrowed money for their medical bills. So, in such circumstances, accepting meager payment to accompany a group silently was better than nothing at all.
'Silent guides' have existed for a long time. "When Koreans, Scandinavians, Russians and Japanese started coming to Egypt, we did not have local guides proficient in the necessary languages," said Fayza Omar, a veteran tour guide. "They never posed a threat. But now the number of foreign guides is growing and having only a 'silent' Egyptian guide accompanying a group gives a bad image for other Egyptian tour guides, not to mention for our country."
Amir El-Atmah, a member of the Egyptian Tour Guides' Syndicate, agrees with her. "Generally speaking, the foreign guides are bad publicity for both our history and our present society," he said. "We will fight this phenomenon no matter how long it takes. A professional guide is a representative of our ancient and modern culture; he is an ambassador. We should not give an opportunity to others to defame our society."
'Silent guides' fall into two categories. They are either in desperate need of an income, or are graduates of one of the numerous 'tourism institutes' which grant licences to people who don't fulfil the necessary educational or language criteria.
When tourist numbers fell, there was less demand for professional guides. The problem was exacerbated when some tour agencies used foreign guides as a bait for international tourists. "People were battling for a job; it became the survival of the cheapest, not the fittest," lamented Nadia Khalil, a member of the Tour Guides' Syndicate's board. In her opinion the surfeit of guides resulted in another phenomenon. "The number of Egyptian guides that flooded the market in the 1990s encouraged many to live on commission from bazaars in lieu of their daily pay from the tourist company, which was naturally in the tour company's interests," she said.
Wilson Berbawy, a 40-year-old guide, blames the foreigners who become guides. "More and more foreigners living in Egypt take up tour guiding because it pays well and is not taxed," he said. "We Egyptians have been taxed at a fixed rate since the 1970s. That rate may have enabled us to live comfortably back then, but now it is a different story."
The silent guide phenomenon caused outrage among tour guides -- and they called on the syndicate to do something about it. When Tharwat Hassanein was elected syndicate head, his top priority was to actively oppose the use of the silent guides. He hounded them and took legal action against tour companies who used them. He paid unexpected visits to tourist destinations, surprised 'silent guides' and confiscated their licences.
Such acts stirred disputes between the syndicate and tourist companies. When word of the trouble came to the ears of the Ministry of Tourism, both sides were confronted. The companies accused the Egyptian guides of lacking fluency in some exotic languages. These accusations were proved to be baseless. The 'silent guides' accused Hassanein of harassment and unfulfilled promises. There was a deadlock.
And despite the years of haggling and negotiation, the issue is still far from being resolved.
